Since the time of the abolitionists, no movement has so politicized social life in the United States as feminism. Responsible for wide-ranging legislation, such as womens right to vote and the right to an abortion, feminists have fought their way to the center of the countrys political dialogue and made themselves a major presence there. But the road to such influence has not been easy. From the battle over the Equal Rights Amendment to the continuing debates about abortion, feminists have often found themselves in the middle of the countrys most hotly contested disputes. They have won many allies, but also many enemies.
When Thelma and Louise outfought the men who had tormented them, women across America discovered what male fans of action movies have long known—the empowering rush of movie violence. Yet the duo's escapades also provoked censure across a wide range of viewers, from conservatives who felt threatened by the up-ending of women's traditional roles to feminists who saw the pair's use of male-style violence as yet another instance of women's co-option by the patriarchy.
