Ideology

• Trainspotting references the hostility faced by AIDS sufferers, being told through Tommy's death. Outside his apartment, graffiti can be observed saying "AIDS, scum, junky", showing clearly it was a social problem of the time especially for addicts who share needles. A made-up gameshow about AIDS can also be seen playing in the nursing home Renton and his friends visit for prescription drugs.
• Trainspotting can be read as a film that helps audience understand lower social groups, since it follows Renton who belongs to the underclass. It can also be read as anti-materialist and consumerist through rejection within "Choose life" monologue, although this point is arguably redundant by the end of the film when Renton ends up accepting the ideal life he described in said monologue.
• Applying gender ideology, Trainspotting is largely male focused and doesn't pass the Bechdel Test. Female characters are only love interests and act as devices to further the narrative with little exploration into their own character(Baby Dawn's Death for Sickboy's personality transition & Diane as a catalyst for Renton's move to London).
• Despite Diane being presented as in control and powerful, it is only in relation to Renton, which can be seen by her returning to her schoolgirl position in front of her parents and in the letter she writes to Renton after he has left for London.
• Renton's line of "in the future, there will be no guys or girls" in his club monologue supports gender equality, and is amplified by Begbie discovering this with a transexual lover - additionally this is a comment on the ultra-macho sexual redundancy that Begbie exhibits.
• A political approach is not really applicable to either film, but the closest link would be with Chris showing awareness of class entitlement ("Daily Mail posh snob"). However, he mentions this mostly due to a sense of personal failure than anything, since his murders are not political, instead using it as justification to seem like a rational killer.
• Tina first conforms to typical gender norms, being Chris' "muse" and seeing him as a knight-in-shining-armour to save her from the current entrapment she is in with Carol. She asks Chris to "show me your world" and by doing so, he unleashes Tina's murderous impulses, setting her on the path of gaining control over herself - a sharp contrast to earlier infantilisation.
• As Chris loses control over Tina, he accuses her of being chaotic in her murder, playing into the stereotype of cool calculated killer whilst Tina is an emotional hothead. In reality, Chris is arguably more emotional than Tina in his kills. Chris hides behind being an eco-warrior and class-avenger when in reality he is motivated by slights to his ego/masculinity, showing his delusions of grandeur. In this way, gender stereotypes are subverted where he is no more rational than Tina.