The Bechdel Test
What is it?
The Bechdel test was first introduced in Allison Bechdel’s comic "Dykes to Watch Out For", in a 1985 strip called “The Rule”. In order for a film to pass the Bechdel test it has to meet the following requirements:
1. It has to have at least two women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
There have been variations to the criteria of the test, for example the female characters have to be named.
Think about a movie that you watched recently, or any movie at all. Does it have at least two female characters? Do they have a conversation about something besides a man? Can you try and name more than 3 films that pass the Bechdel test? I actually found it kind of difficult.
And that’s where the problem lies. The problem isn’t just about the lack ...