Feminism apparent in Thelma and Louise
"Feminism" is a term that I actually used to avoid using. Even though I am a proud female, I used to think that the term just further seperated women from reaching the goal of equality. It took me a while to realize that a term does not change or affect the accepted norms of society, people do. So while I was wary of a highly critized term, I should have been embracing what it stood for. I now believe feminism to be a term that envokes action to help bring equality and pride to the female gender. I think it basically sets out to ensure that each female is given the same opportunity as each male, but also sets out to make sure that each female embraces her gender as well.
In the film Thelma and Louise, the two main characters set out to debunk the phallocentric world. Thelma and Louise go against the typical actions of women for the time, by doing things such as baring guns and living the outlaw lifestyle, something that was only seen as acceptable for the male gender. One particular scene where this is apparent is the scene where Thelma and Louise wave down the rude trucker they've encountered throughout the movie. The trucker initially pulls over because he thinks he is going to have sex with these women, but in reality, he is pulled over so Thelma and Louise can expose his disgusting acts and force him to appologise. When he refuses, they blow his truck up using their guns. Basically, Thelma and Louise are using an object that represents phallocentricism (the guns) to honor their gender. I felt this was an affective use of feminism in the film.