The film lacks prominent LGBTQ+ characters or storylines central to the plot. It adheres to 19th-century social constraints without explicitly addressing non-heteronormative identities.

The narrative disrupts Victorian hierarchies by centering agency on female characters. Led by performers like Sally Hawkins, the women drive the plot through intellectual and social maneuvering.

The ensemble is predominantly white, reflecting the historical homogeneity of a mid-19th-century English village. The film does not utilize color-blind casting or significant minority representation.

The story offers a critique of institutional rigidity by centering on the morality of social misfits. It prioritizes communal values over the formal dictates of church and state.

Characters with various physical and mental eccentricities are used to build a sense of community among outcasts. These traits grant agency to those marginalized by the era's standards.