We are at a time where, in terms of the inclusion of women and minorities, Hollywood is as diverse as it’s ever been. 2019 alone will have brought us many great female-led blockbusters including Captain Marvel, Little Women, Charlie’s Angels, and Frozen 2—all four of which having a female director at the helm.
However, despite this progress, there are still many improvements to be made in Hollywood as women and minorities continue to be underrepresented on the screen and behind the scenes.
One compelling lens through which we can view the television and movies we consume is called the Bechdel Test. Named for the feminist comic, Allison Bechdel, who created it in 1985, this test provides viewers a guide with which to examine media in a gender-conscious way.
To pass the Bechdel Test, a specific show or film must contain at a minimum the following criteria:
- Two named female characters
- These two female characters must have a conversation with each other
- This conversation must be about something other than a man.
Now, at first glance, this test may seem too simple to have any significance. I mean, the bar is set pretty damn low. However, once you begin to scrutinize movies with this test, it is crazy how many you realize do not pass this most basic metric of female representation (To name just a few: The Avengers, Green Book, Avatar).
A movie not passing this test does not mean it is inherently bad. In fact, there are many films that don’t pass this test that are still empowering and definitely worth watching (A Star is Born, Gravity, Finding Nemo). And there are movies that do pass this test that are the opposite.
But, while the test is not a perfect gauge, it is still an important one for us all to consider. This is because everyone deserves to see themselves represented regularly on screen, and despite recent advances Hollywood does still need to do better. And, of course, it is not enough to just have women present, but to have stories centered around compelling and complex female characters (Michael Bay, I’m looking at you).