The Female Bandit/Outlaw

Abstract

This chapter investigates the archetype of the female bandit, a powerful vigilante figure who does not seek vengeance for crimes left unpunished by the criminal justice system but instead struggles for a more even distribution of wealth and/or power among the general populace. In this sense, her altruistic motives surpass the boundaries of self. Such vigilantism frequently overturns the existing androcentric power structure, to victimize those individuals who typically do the victimizing. Unlike their male counterparts, the female bandits showcased in this chapter have the additional motive of vanquishing their own demons via their radical acts—they rid themselves of social mandates that are so ingrained in their psyches that it prevents them from living to their full potential. The destruction of these demons is often replete with violent wrenchings of the soul as well as the social order, steps that are necessary to correct outdated ideologies.