(Though it should be called the Bechdel-Wallace test, according to the lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who helped create it.) To pass the Bechdel test, a movie must follow three rules that are supposed to show if the story has a good representation of women. It gets uncomfortable at times, but their stellar performances keep us glued. Theres a 99% chance youve seen at least one episode of Broad City. The Bechdel Test is a simple test to see if a work of fiction passes the feminist [] They exchange quips a few times, such as when Mrs. Weasley utters the iconic line of "Not my daughter, you bitch" to Bellatix as she protects Ginny. Were trying to be conscious of not just meeting this bar. These 8 Movies Pass The Bechdel Test And Celebrate Women - TheThings A paraplegic dude gets his brothers hand-me-down remote control alien, falls in love with another alien, fights off a bunch of humans, and decides he likes being an alien more, because apparently he thinks living on a planet full of terrifying animals and waiting for the humans to come back sounds like a goodtime. The Bechdel test has three stipulations: two named women characters need to have a conversation about something other than a man. The data Im using are the same as introduced in this previous post: episodes transcripts for most episodes of seven major sitcoms from the last 30 years. Having acquired hundreds of sitcom episode transcripts, I can apply the test programmatically to each episode of these sitcoms, to compare the shows and track changes over the course of their runs. A lot of Hollywood films fail this test miserably and portray women in a sexist and unfair way. The sparkling, progressive dialogue pretty much consists of, He doesnt need you, he has me., And Andrea the android talks to Nurse Chapel about a man in What Are Little Girls made of. She is complicated and shes funnier than most (all?) Alex and Bradley, newly brought together co-anchors for The Morning Show, have a complicated relationship. None of the women in the movie ever talk to each other. Now, thats not to say that theyre all friends or even that their relationships are all healthy. Needless to say, a lot of superhero movies fail the test. Toy Story is such a beloved film to so many, but it unfortunately doesn't pass the test. Happily there have been some absolutely stellar standouts as of late which not only pass the Bechdel test, but also move beyond this low bar into portraying powerful and moving performances with real substance and impactful storytelling. The Dollar-And-Cents Case Against Hollywood's Exclusion of Women If you havent, then youre missing out on the creative genius that is Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. The female characters must talk to each other. To pass this step I looked for a three-line sequence. The squads a little more preoccupied with ghost bustin than affairs of the heart, and casually saving the world from an evil menace. Law & Order in the early seasons wouldnt have, with no starring female cast members. Thank goodness theres one more season to go. Most people probably werent as mindful of the cringe-worthy storylines, one-dimensional characters, and lack of diversity that was, unfortunately, part of the norm before the early 2000s. It could have been so easy to write just ONE more female into the story. Bath and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, Id guess most Orange is the New Black episodes would fail. Basically, theres a lot to talk about other than men. Most are finallypassing the Bechdel test, aka a test that analyzes a scene where two or more women talk about anything else other than men. Some of the most popular films of all time fail The Bechdel Test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. SuperJail, unless JailBot is female. men. The best movies that pass the Bechdel Test are female-positive and great watches in their own right. Note: Your privacy is important to us, so please know that your information will always remain confidential! Hm, Red Dwarf probably cuts it, too, with only one main character even arguably female, and very few appearances by any character not in the main cast. *WaitShore Leave has two women on the planet at the same time. There's a third named female character, Agent Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders), but she only directs orders to her staff and there's no dialogue. Rise Together is key to creating greater opportunity by providing you with the support, knowledge, and community to break through barriers. Seems simple enough, right? The dramedy follows Issa, her best friend Molly, and their other girlfriends as they navigate life in Los Angeles. Um, no. In three films, none of them says a word to each other. Popularized by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in a 1985 strip called Dykes to Watch Out For and inspired by Virginia Woolf, the test measures the representation of women in film, television, books . It uses the same lines identified above as part of a back-and-forth between two characters, and sums these by the gender of the pair of characters involved: female-female, male-male, or male-female. Alison Bechdel Has Amended the Bechdel Test Just for The Bechdel Test, if youre not familiar with it, is a benchmark for movies developed by Alison Bechdel in 1985. Great movies that pass the bechdel test - IMDb This test, put forth by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in a comic strip from 1985, posits . And it definitely passes the Bechdel test, with a diverse cast of women focusing on their careers and friendships. It sounds simple,. Lola must figure out how to come up with 100,000 Deutsche Marks in twenty minutes or her boyfriend will be killed. The movie: The Bride is hellbent on - surprise surprise - killing Bill because he and his assassins tried to kill her and her unborn child many years ago. Lauren OCallaghan. This test is passed much more frequently: almost every episode of each show passes (blue plus purple, below): However, Friends, Will and Grace, and Married With Children do show some episodes that pass the BT but not the male version (orange). In order to pass the test, a film must feature at least two women who speak to each other on a subject that does not revolve around men. In fact it can be pretty spectacular, especially when youre hanging out with other women! Yes, but her relationship with French agent Lasalle is significantly more interesting. All the Charlize Theron. But times are changing and there are a handful of incredible examples of ladies crushing mainstream media. Movies with female directors have higher Bechdel scores. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, the critically-acclaimed reboot of the beloved 80s animated series, is a shining example of how to pass the Bechdel test. Her best friend and coworkers are there for her, even at her lowest. It has to have at least two [named] women in it 2. Who talk to each other 3. How about Girls? Seriously, in the entire 10-hour trilogy, no two female characters ever actually speak to each other. Bilko, and those already mentioned, have a good chance of failing. Plus, its not as though failing the Bechdel Test means a movie is automatically terrible or sexist. At the time, hardly any films could pass it, and many forms of media still struggle to pass it today. But it goes much further than this, with Katniss having a variety of conversations with other women, ranging from her mother and Rue, to the delightfully colourful Effie Trinket, and only once does a romance get mentioned in one conversation between Katniss and Rue. So, love them or hate them, you can probably relate to at least one of them. What Is The Bechdel Test And How Has It Changed Film? - Reference.com Despite Lola being considered one of the most well-rounded female characters ever put to film, Run Lola Run still fails The Bechdel Test for one simple reason Lola never has a conversation with another female at any point in the movie. More than that, all the women are fiercely strong and morally questionable, presenting a version of women not often seen in the cinema. Does Your Favourite TV Series From 2017 Pass The Bechdel Test Or Not The show is set in the world of 80s womens wrestling and follows an out-of-work actress who decides to achieve fame by wrestling. But the Internet commenters can still find things to get upset about - go ahead, get angry! Why? Is it time for a Native Bechdel Test? | Native Appropriations Sounds simple, right? Director: Sarah Polley | Stars: Michael Polley, John Buchan, Mark Polley, Joanna Polley. Land acknowledgements are a way for us to reflect upon the duality of our work while we work within our team, our community, and our client organizations to promote greater inclusivity and abolish inequities, we ourselves still perpetuate and contribute to various forms of historical and present oppression. Seinfeld has only one female character in its main cast, so was bound to do badly in this test; however, it does pass step 1 in almost 90% of episodes. Friends, Will and Grace, and Married With Children had more conversations between different gender characters than same gender. Of course, people watch movies for the simple pleasure that the story brings. Red flags that you're dealing with a man-child. Finally, There's a Bechdel Test for Muslim Representation - Vice The women of this show are complex and the show does a wonderful job of passing the Bechdel test, focusing on their friendships, their careers, their kids. Disney Plus. 1. It's worth noting though that this is in a series that shows women's asses at every opportunity & had gold-painted dancing girls earlier. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Cinderella. We all play a part in creating a more equitable and just workplace and world. Remember the test was originally invented to help lesbians find movies theyd like. Whether related to law, business, or politics, Diane, Lucca, Marissa, and Liz in particular had stunning moments of grace, confidence, and jaw dropping cool that we simply loved watching. To pass the Bechdel Test, two female characters who have names must have a conversation with each other about something other than a man. Despite having an array of fierce and funny female characters, the last movie of the Harry Potter installments disappointingly doesn't feature a single conversation between the women. Pipers boyfriend talks to his dad, but usually about Piper. The Duchess of York casts "no judgment" toward her nephew. To pass the Test, the movie must include at least two women, who have names in the film, and that have a conversation with each other about something other than a man. Doesn't Lara need any friends? How it passes: The Hunger Games (opens in new tab) actually passes the Bechdel Test in the very first scene. The three women talk about their work launching Project Mercury into space (ranging from aerospace engineering, to analytical geometry, to calculating trajectories, to phenomenally advanced maths), as well as about the professional obstacles in their way due to the prejudiced attitudes of their male, white co-workers. Grace and FrankieHow often do we get to see older women rise up against adversity with a whole lot of laughter and a whole lot of love? . In 1985, American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. Finally, although we can guess what the result will be, I computed the male equivalent of the test: two male characters must talk about something other than a female character. Please know that these are only a portion of the new television series passing the test. Youll fall in love with these badass Black women who justget it. The Wire had a lesbian couple, but they werent a focus. The Bechdel Test is a measure of gender bias in movies. The movie: Annies best friend is getting married so naturally shes Maid of Honor. Third, that conversation must be about something other than a man. created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant Never saw it, but Im to understand its woman centric. Registered office: 3rd floor, Latin Hall, Golden Lane, Dublin 8. Why Are Films Failing The Bechdel Test When TV Has Progressed? But while the entertainment industry still has a lot of work to do, there seems to be a positive shift happening when it comes to female-led shows. Its a must watch! Do those bacta tanks grow babies,too? As with previous Ghostbusters movies, the busters are tracking down some ghosts who are wreaking havoc in New York. Im not completely certain, but possibly the original Star Trek? Zoe Delahunty-Light. Bechdel Test | Know Your Meme The test has gained traction in recent years, but there's still some big-name films that don't meet the criteria. So viewers would expect it to pass the Bechdel test with flying colors - and it does. The single episode with the most Nurse/Nurse interaction, they were basically spending the episode bitching about Maj. Hoolihan. The Bechdel test was designed to point out how infrequently women in Hollywood movies are presented as characters in their own right, as opposed to adjuncts or even accessories to the male characters. Okay, so, right, Atomic Blonde stars Theron as an MI6 agent who travels to Berlin as the wall is about to fall in order to retrieve a priceless dossier to take down an espionage ring. The Bechdel test ( / bkdl / BEK-dl) [1] is a measure of the representation of women in film (and, by extension, in fiction in general). Heres how it works. What is the Bechdel Test? Movies That Pass & Fail | Backstage Alison Brie's Ruth . If so, then the very first episode aired passes. services and Women make up more than half of the population, but it seems that theres still a problem with representation in films and on television. All Posts; The Rundown; Entertainment News . Oh and hey, Meryl Streep is going to be in Season 2. for the content of external websites. To pass the Bechdel test, a work of fiction must fulfil the above criteria at least once. Its 2019, high time to get all underrepresented groups in significant numbers behind and in front of the camera! Does she have an interesting relationship with McAvoy? This was probably intended to refer to a one-on-one conversation, but in sitcoms often a larger group of characters are present in a scene. The comic strip that popularized the test was titled "The Rule," and it says that to pass the test the movie must have three things. (will pass the test, but female characters are still underrepresented) Despite having two kickass female characters who are named, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) a.k.a. Answer (1 of 3): Disclaimer: I love Firefly. What Insecure does better than most shows is showcasing real vulnerability and raw honesty, and therein lies its beauty. There are a couple guys on the prison staff, but they tend to talk about the prisoners or their boss Fig, who is a woman. Other than that every conversation I remember was about Hank or Walter. That doesnt mean its not funny, though! Its won all the awards, and for good reason. And its been surprisingly challenging for movies and TV shows to pass this basic test, even in our current golden age of media consumption. The next plot explores further how male and female characters interacted in each shows episodes. That means having at least two, named, female characters in the movie, who talk to each other about something other than men. Big Little Lies was produced by Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, two women who were sick of seeing women portrayed in a one-dimensional way. You were so very close, JamesCameron. Broad City created by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson super modern and funny. Her struggle with alcohol comes to a head and it was powerful to see how her friends supported her without enabling her. The series based on Robert Jordans epic series begins with the premise of a world ruled by women who have to deal with a lot of very bad men. But the shows that dont pass the test are about men who already have established careers, and so the relationships between women fall to the wayside. The Bechdel Test is a test for whether a movie contains: Two named female characters, who talk to each other, about something besides a man. The Bechdel Test is a test for whether a movie contains: Its commonly used as a commentary about the lack of female representation in Hollywood. Often, the two women must be named, prominent characters to meet the criteria. del test/n. The Bechdel Test and the Television Shows That Pass - ENTITY Thankfully, by Toy Story 3 Pixar had included a conversation between female . Fox Searchlight Pictures. When they do interact its usually to talk about their place in society with regards to the men and their plans. 2.3 OTHER DIVERSITY TESTS 1. Its authentic to life, and theyre all trying to make their way in New York. But what makes this show pass the Bechdel test so handily is her relationship with her manager played by the brilliant Alex Borstein (she is everything). On the list of TV shows I regularly watch, the only one I can . Kee talks to revolutionary leader Julian and her midwife Miriam at many points throughout the movie, and its almost never about a man. The women of this show are complex and the show does a wonderful job of passing the Bechdel test, focusing on their friendships, their careers, their kids. I dont think its really within the spirit of the test to count a brief conversation in a single episode of a TV series that ran for years as a pass. Bechdel Test movies and shows: Originals that pass the test - The Daily Dot To pass the test, a film needs to meet 3very simple criteria. Animated films that pass the Bechdel test - Letterboxd The Bechdel Test: Analyzing gender disparity in Hollywood But, even though this movie passes the Bechdel Test, it doesn't pass the Dangerous Bear Trope Test. TV Show Recaps; TV Reviews; TV Lists; TV News & Trailers; TV Features; The L Word; The L Word: Generation Q; . How it passes: Its true that Frozen (opens in new tab) only has two named female characters, but the movie is literally about them and their relationship to each other. The rise in the overall number is due to increases in the percentages of women working as executive producers and producers. But its still surprising to find out that some of the most popular films of all time fail the test, and often for reasons you may have never considered. And, apparently, successfully robbing banks is one of the things they can accomplish together. I assume Yeoman Rand and Sulu dont count. About something besides a man. When she meets Jules, a fellow female footballer, she cant help but join the local womens football team, but this causes major problems for her home life and Jess finds herself torn between what she wants and her familys expectations. Amongst civil unrest and economic collapse, Theo unwittingly becomes responsible for a young pregnant refugee, Kee, who he must protect against all odds. Bechdel Test Movie List 10 Movies From 2021 That Pass The Bechdel Test - ScreenRant At a time when toxic masculinity is still very much alive and well, this entire show is a breath of fresh air. Sam Loveridge. Yes, please. 1. Many Marvel Movies Fail The Bechdel Test - Very Aware supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Dobby and Sophie have several conversations with each other for example and theres multiple other examples. They recently soft-launched their take on the Bechdel test, called the Riz test, which aims to cast a light on how Muslims are represented on film and TV shows. The Social Network stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin . TH3 RUNDOWN. How it passes: Brilliantly, theres not a romantic relationship in sight in Ghostbusters. The movie: Best friends Enid and Becky spend the summer after high school trying to figure out what theyre doing with their lives and along the way they meet a lonely, middle-aged man named Seymour, who Enid strikes up a friendship with. New York? 11 Classic Movies That Pass the Bechdel Test - Teen Vogue To pass, the work simply has . Padme speaks to Shmi Skywalker in Episode I and to her handmaidens at various points in Episode II, and in both cases, they discuss things other than men. After a chat of what The Hunger Games actually means, Katniss comforts her sister Primrose, whos had a bad dream. Wire service provided by AFP and Press Association. Holdo a total, er, force (RIP). Literally, it can be about anything but a man! Avatar (2009) James Cameron's 2009 blockbuster movie does have strong feminist themes but fails the Test in one key aspect: its strong female leads Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and Dr. Grace Augustine . So, what is the Bechdel Test? Another rule, that is sometimes included, is . In a world where superhero movies reign supreme, it's hard to imagine any of them not passing the Bechdel Test. These 10 Popular Movies Do Not Pass the Bechdel Test The test and its rules were first mentioned in Bechdel's 1985 comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For and has three (and later added four) simple rules: Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini form an unlikely friendship over, well, the death of Applegates late husband. Nine Recent TV Shows and Movies That Pass the Bechdel Test Absolutely. So How Many Disney Movies Pass the Bechdel Test? - Her Campus Here's 10 from the past 25 year that may surprise you. When Ive seen people discussing the Bechdel test with regard to television, theyre usually talking about individual episodes and not the series as a whole. But if females are in the story, theres no reason cant they be involved in at least one conversation with each other. The world has changed since the Bechdel-Wallace Test was created Hulu When The Bechdel-Wallace Test first appeared in 1985, the world was an entirely different place. One of the biggest movies of the 21st century features no dialogue between two named female characters. The Bechdel Test -- created by Alison Bechdel in her 1985 comic, "Dykes to Watch Out For" -- is a well-known measurement of gender bias in movies. Her character, Cassie, is a fun-loving flight attendant who gets into a huge problem. The test has three criteria: 1. the movie must have at least two female characters, 2. who talk to each other about something other than a man, and. Fox Searchlight Pictures The singer reveals how grueling life was on the road. GLOWThis Netflix series on its second season features a fictionalized account of how GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) came to be a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s. To join our community, just fill out the form below. Swedish cinemas take aim at gender bias with Bechdel test rating Movies need to pass test that gauges the active presence of women on screen in bid to promote gender equality Jennifer. REVIEWS. The movie: The all-singing, all-dancing movie adaptation of the stage musical Chicago (opens in new tab) sees Rene Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere sing their hearts out as two female jazz stars/murderesses and the amoral lawyer trying to get them off. "Glitch". And so are five other '90s tattoo styles. Please note that uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide Neither speak to each other or ever meet. You will have a very real assessment of how much screen time this element has. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Toy Story 1 & 2. Plus, the entire film is about a young woman and her pregnancy (which could save the world), and the fact that the main character is a man is more incidental than anything else. News images provided by Press Association Next on the list is the 2010 biographical drama movie The Social Network which also doesn't pass the Bechdel test. I havent sat down to do a critical analysis or anything, but I bet 95% of Breaking Bad episodes would fail the test. Were ready for Season 6! Movies That Surprisingly Pass the Bechdel Test In 2020, the archive shows that 78 films passed the Bechdel Test out of 329 films released in the U.S. and Canada. Rick coaches him to tell a story that passes the Bechdel Test, providing a succinct explanation: "Two women, they both have to have names, and talk to each other about something other than a. Does 'Firefly' pass the Bechdel test? - Quora In non-pandemic years, an average 600 or 700 films have been added to the archive annually since 2006. First, the film must have at least two female characters. Shes not like those other girls because shes basically one of the guys. Married With Children (Peggy-Marcy and Peggy-Kelly) and Scrubs (mostly Elliot-Carla) fall down between steps 2 and 3, meaning they often had female characters talk to one another, but in many cases this was only about a male character. Testing the Bechdel Test - Portland State University Toy Story is such a beloved film to so many, but it unfortunately doesn't pass the test. The three female mathematicians in the 1960s (played masterfully by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae) rarely talk about a man, focusing instead on their goals, their work, and the obstacles that they overcome every step of the way. If youre behind on this one, too, then Im honestly kinda surprised you even know what movies are. This test is otherwise known as the Bechdel/Wallace test or the Bechdel Rule or Mo Movie Measure and is marked as a measure of gender depiction in the films. There are braces, acne, and lots of humiliating moments. Are there any TV shows that fail the Bechdel Test. But alas, many Marvel movies do not actually pass the Bechdel Test. Emma Stone chills, sings, dances and colour-coordinates her outfits with her three gal pals, buuuut the friends themselves are never named. Its just to get people thinking about gender and how its presented in film. Definitely not. However, its not the case that these shows were full of male-male conversations without female involvement: as seen by the fact that no show lies below 0.8 on the y-axis, these shows had as many, or almost as many, male-female conversations, as male-male conversations. In some cases, my processing couldnt pick up the scene breaks, or the transcripts didnt contain any; these episodes are each treated as one long scene, which makes it easier to pass this first step, but only slightly easier to pass the other steps than when scenes are properly detected.