Thelma and Louise: Betrayal of Feminism
To me, feminism represents the fight for equality between the sexes. It is the defiance of society’s gender ideals that were the norm until only a few decades ago. I think that it stands for women’s autonomy and the ability to live without relying on men. Although Thelma and Louise attempts to break from the typical road film, there are several aspects of the film that seem to betray feminism. For example, throughout the film, the women play the role of the victims. One major aspect of the film that betrays feminism is found in the response given by Louise’s to Thelma’s reactions to the attempted rape. Thelma looks to her for reassurance after the incident, asking whether Louise thought that it was her fault. Louise doesn’t reassure her at all, which leads viewers to believe that she partly thought it was her fault. This scene represents a major hurdle that women have had to overcome; that in incidences of rape, women are victims and are not at all responsible for what has happened to them. For this reason, this particular scene in Thelma and Louise dramatically betrays feminism, despite the film’s attempt to break from the typical road movie genre.