The Bechdel Test for Women in Movies

The Bechdel Test is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are. It was created by Allison Bechdel in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For in 1985. It is astonishing the number of popular movies that can't pass this simple test. It demonstrates how little women's complex and interesting lives are underrepresented or non existent in the film industry. We have jobs, creative projects, friendships and struggles among many other things that are actually interesting in our lives... so Hollywood, start writing about it!

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Category:

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Tags:

• Allison Bechdel
• Bechdel Test
• Dykes to Watch Out For
• Feminism
• Feminist Frequency
• Terminator
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Austin Powers
• Fight Club
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Lord of the Rings
• Bruno

[jacob2123able]

'Buellers day off has about 4 female characters, the sister, sloan (or whatever), the mum, and the secretary. I do believe the mum/sister talk? hmm

[feministfrequency]

@jacob2123able I believe they only talk about Ferris.

[drew335533]

Could this be applied to TV shows as well?

[feministfrequency]

@drew335533 Yes, some people do apply it to TV shows but it's usually applied episode to episode.

[FatherTime89]

@feministfrequency I don't think that's fair. I mean when a TV series starts to age they'll usually spend whole episodes dedicated to a character or a single relationship. So eventually they're all going to have episodes that meet and fail the bechdel test (if they have >1 female character).

[feministfrequency]

@FatherTime89 I don't apply it to TV because I don't think it actually demonstrates anything, but some people do.

[feministfrequency]

@Stalkergirl123 The test has nothing to do with whether I did or didn't like a film, so you can still enjoy LOTR's and recognize that it doesn't pass the test.

[Stalkergirl123]

There are plenty of named women in LOTR. Eowyn, Arwen, Galadriel, Rosie, The Lobeillia Sackville Baggens etc. And that film doesnt really have LOADS of guy talk, its all about the end of the world and that. And I would have thought you would have liked LOTR because women arent sexualized in it. The only real relationship story is Arwen and Aragorn and all he shows her is love and respect. (Sorry i'm getting defensive, but i'm a real nerd about this kind of thing.)

[lasofia13]

I think the biggest example of this in a TV show scenario is The Big Bang theory, where pretty blonde Penny *nolastname* only shows up in episodes with female friends to make a joke about *The* men in the show and her storyline (or lack of thereof) only evolves around the men in the show.

[1navyseal1962]

Feminism is the radical notion that woman are people

[CrazyFoo501]

First movie I thought ironically is about as much of a guy movie as you can get but Grindhouse Planet has Cherry Darling played but Rose McGowan talking to Dakota Block played by Mary Shelton about "useless talents". Also the babysitters played by the Avellan twins have a brief conversation with Dakota Block about well babysitting technically nothing to do with a man. Not the film a girl would be looking for but it does pass this test.

[skyerune]

The tone of the films listed would be very different if they could pass the test. It would be interesting to see the types of films that come from adhering to equality principles. I can't recall a single film where this has happened that was good from a critic's point of view. (I am NOT implying that a film with female characters can't be, just that I don't remember seeing one.)

[lotharstar]

Very interesting! I was definitely surprised by several of the movies on that list. To clarify - does a movie pass the test if two named women have a conversation where they talk about something in addition to men or does talking about men at all in the conversation eliminate it from consideration?

[EmperorXunks]

We definitely more films with more females in them, preferably doing female things. I noticed that one of the films listed as not passing the test was the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" film. I agree that, despite of the film's quality, it's not a terribly female focused film, although Keira Knightly's Elizabeth Swan is a welcome presence. I feel I must point however that the film does technically pass the test, as Elizabeth does speak to Anamaria(Zoe Saldana) about the Black Pearl's pursuit.

[Lyinginbedmon]

Bizarrely, the anime series Vandread could easily pass this test. That's bizarre because it involves the genders being divided literally by civilisation and a lot of the time is the male characters coming to terms with the gender differences.

[pinkeegoobox]

If instead of talking about a man they talk about other clichéd, tipically female topics, like fashion or beauty, or criticise other women, would they still pass the Bechdel test even though it is perpetuating a stereotype?