Lisbeth's Sexuality
"Salander--unlike Mimmi--had never thought of herself as a lesbian. She had never brooded over whether she was straight, gay, or bisexual. She did not give a damn about labels, did not see that it was anyone else's business whom she spent her nights with."
-Chapter 18, page 357
-Chapter 18, page 357
Sex plays a large part in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, especially for Salander. The book suggests she was using sex as an outlet for her feelings of powerlessness in a self-destructive way, often combined with lots of alcohol. Her sexuality is actually a facet of her character, something that Gay/Lesbian critics look for. She challenges female heterosexuality and uses it as a form of empowerment, having relations with both men and women, but doesn't feel like that makes her bisexual. She believes in herself, not some label.