One of the most astonishing aspects of the women's actions is their refusal to comply with the men's commands. When the men arrive with logs, intending to smoke out the women, they are taken aback that the women they have nurtured—and in many ways spoiled—have now turned against them. Essentially, the women of Athens are no longer obedient to the men. Moreover, these women are prepared to trade insults and even engage in physical altercations if necessary. This behavior defies the traditional expectations of how they should act. The magistrate, representing society's legal and conventional views of women, finds himself powerless. Initially, the women dress him in women's clothing and later in funeral attire. They have abandoned their traditional roles as obedient wives and daughters, stepping into positions of authority.

Sex serves as the means by which women gain control. The men become captives to their own lustful desires and can no longer manage the women as they once could. Sex transforms into both the women's weapon and the prize they decide to withhold. This grants them a power they typically wouldn't have, and by joining forces, the women's denial of sex forces the men to concede. Myrrhine, one of the women, uses her sexual charm to entice her husband and establish dominance over him. Toward the conclusion of the play, as Lysistrata seeks to negotiate peace, she uses sex as an incentive, presenting a nude symbol of reconciliation to the men who are deprived of sex. When this strategy doesn't succeed, Lysistrata offers them wine, humorously flipping the traditional male tactic of seducing a woman. As the men begin drinking, their craving for sex intensifies, eventually leading them to agree to a truce.

Lysistrata cleverly pinpoints the men's weakness and uses it to push for peace. The women in the play are depicted as brave and steadfast. They fearlessly confront the older men and the magistrate, remaining undaunted and committed to their cause. They stand resolute in defending their choices and the Acropolis. Understanding that war cannot continue without funding, they have a backup plan if their vow to withhold sex fails. While sex serves as the women's source of power, it is the men's vulnerability, as they are eager to pledge anything to reclaim it.

Athens has been devastated by war. The chorus is made up of elderly men because there are no young men left. Those who haven't died in the ongoing conflict, now in its twentieth year, are still fighting. The women are left to take care of children and property with little assistance. Young women face no prospects for marriage. Lysistrata notes that when men return from the war, even older men can find wives. However, young women may never find husbands once their chance has passed. This highlights one of the many injustices of war—the neglect of women. Although the Peloponnesian War serves as the setting for this comedy, the story emphasizes the tragedy it brought upon Athens, showing that war affects everyone.