The Danish Girl puts its protagonist’s transgender journey front and center, at times making identity the overriding element, overshadowing character development and narrative subtlety. The film’s focus on the novelty and suffering of transition arguably takes narrative precedence over deeper exploration, with much attention on affirmation and external approval.

Cultural traditions, especially regarding gender roles and marriage, are not only challenged but portrayed as stifling or harmful. Traditional masculinity is questioned and reinterpreted through a modern lens. Religion and other cultural bedrocks are notably absent or depicted as obstacles.

The film's worldview is quite uniform, predominantly affirming modern gender ideology. Traditional perspectives are either background noise or shown as outdated or unsympathetic, and dissenting views are not afforded much serious exploration or legitimacy.