Here's what I would call a pretty even-handed quote from a rather good article about Aileen Wuornos, the woman the movie is based on:

"However, signs of Aileen's (damaged) mental health can be seen even at an early age. She was never able as a child to form healthy relationships. Her father abandoned her before she was born. Her mother abandoned her shortly after she was born. Her strict grandparents were never able to get her under control, frequently resorting to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. She admitted also to having sexual relations with her brother. She admitted to using recreational drugs. She was pregnant by age fourteen. Any one of these factors can have a massive impact on child development, combining all the factors likely just made things worse.

During Aileen's short marriage to Lewis Fell, it became evident that Aileen was incapable of entering into a healthy relationship. Even married, she would continue the reckless, barfly lifestyle, hitchhiking, drugs, and prostitution. Fell's behavior made it clear that he had fallen in love with Aileen, and tried to provide for her a better life. Aileen, on the other hand, did not seem to understand this, rather viewing Lewis as something to fall back on when she needed it. When Fell had enough of Aileen's behavior, he left her. In his eyes, he could not take seeing the woman he loved on such a reckless path. In Aileen's eyes, Fell was just like every other man in her life, he abandoned her.

For most of her life, Aileen supported herself by prostitution, or by stealing valuable items from people which she would later pawn, or by being a pool hustler. She never was able to maintain a proper job, and with her lifestyle, it was unlikely she would ever have been taken seriously when it came to employment. Without proper education, support, or vocational training, the only way Aileen had to fulfill her human needs was to turn to prostitution, hustling, or larceny. This does not excuse such behavior however it can be noted that Aileen did not know any better.

When Aileen met Tyria Moore, further signs of her (deteriorating) mental health were clearly evident. The two quickly became friends. Tyria had fallen in love with Aileen. The more they were together and the stronger the bond between the two women got, Tyria was able to offer the one thing nobody else in Aileen's life was able to - love.

As Tyria entered into what could be described as a lesbian relationship with Aileen, Aileen never saw things in those terms. Aileen could never see herself as a lesbian - however, if entering into a lesbian relationship was the only way she could find someone who would love her and not abandon her, that is what she felt she needed.

In Aileen's mind, when Tyria left her (when it became clear that the two were being investigated by the police) Aileen did not feel abandoned. It became clear, especially in Aileen's confession, that it was an emotional decision on both their behalf that the two separate. Aileen knew she hurt her friend, and she knew things were about to get worse. Separation was the only way to help shield Tyria from the chaos that Aileen knew was likely to follow. Aileen's confession was a product of trying to shield the only woman she ever loved and who ever loved her."


*I added the italics in the above excerpt. I also added the bracketed words (damaged) and (deteriorating).