iThe Bechdel Test was never meant to be a gold standard. Yet, over the years, it has become the lazy yardstick to judge female representation in films. In this article, we explore how The Bechdel Test misses the real picture and why our questions about women in cinema need to evolve.
What is the Bechdel Test?
The Bechdel Test is a popular parameter to monitor women’s representation in films and other fictional works. It has just three basic rules:
- The work must include at least two named women characters.
- These characters must speak to each other.
- Their conversation must focus on a topic other than men.
The Bechdel Test sounds simple. Almost too simple. Surprisingly, even with such basic standards, more films and even books fail the Bechdel Test than pass it. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien? Failed. Avatar, one of the highest-grossing films ever made? Also failed.
The origins of the test
The Bechdel Test didn’t come from a film school or feminist think tank. It first appeared in a comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel in 1985. The comic drew inspiration from Virginia Woolf’s 1929 essay A Room of One’s Own. In it, Woolf notes how women in fiction often exist only in relation to men. No jobs, no dreams, or no hobbies, just endless dialogues about brothers, boyfriends, or husbands. The test has since been used as a basic measurement tool to see if women get fair representation in the movies in which they are depicted.
Is the 3-rule test really the best we can do for women’s representation?
Let’s start with the first rule. Two named women. The test doesn’t ask for strong personalities, backstories, or even screen time. As long as they have names (even something like “Jolly” and “Molly” will do), the film passes step one.
Now comes the conversation. The two female characters must talk to each other about something other than a man. The topic could be socks, sandwiches, or the weather. The test doesn’t require the conversation to contribute to the plot or reveal anything meaningful. They could chat about paint drying, and the film still earns a pass. That’s how low the bar is.
The test also stays silent on other types of representation. It doesn’t ask if the women are from different racial backgrounds, whether they identify as LGBTQ+, or if they represent real-world diversity at all. So, if there is a few-second clip of two conventionally attractive white women discussing brunch? Pass. But somehow, even that seems too much for many films.
When the Bechdel Test passes but the plot doesn’t
Some movies just don’t feel empowering. You know the kind where your gut tells you this isn’t exactly a win for women. And yet, they pass the Bechdel Test. Twilight? Passes. Fifty Shades of Grey? That too. On paper, they meet the three rules.
It is not the Bechdel Test’s fault because It was never designed to measure “feminist” cinema. It came from a 1985 comic strip in which a character casually mentioned her personal rule for watching movies. That character was fictional, and so was the test. It started as satire. The real issue lies in how some critics and viewers have turned this comic-strip quip into the ultimate test for judging women’s representation in film.
Let’s ask better questions than the Bechdel Test
If we really care about how we show women in movies, we should start asking better questions. How many of the cast are women? How many women are part of the team behind the scenes, like the writers, directors, or editors? Are actors made to wear outfits that are more about the male gaze than the character? What’s the story even about? Does the woman have her own goals, or is she just there to help the hero find himself? How much time does she even get on screen before disappearing? Does she face real problems, make tough choices, or grow as a person, or is her big moment just a dramatic kiss with the hero? And what about women of different backgrounds? Do their stories ever get told, or is it the same recycled version with a slightly different hairstyle? Does the plot address issues that are important to women?
These are just a few of the many questions to ask whether a film treats women with respect.
Let’s retire the Bechdel Test and reframe the reel
If a film passes the Bechdel Test, it doesn’t mean it portrays women well. It means it barely managed to give two female characters enough screen time to mention something unrelated to a man. That’s hardly inclusion. Still, many films don’t even meet that.
So, what happens when a film does pass? It gets a free pass as “progressive” or “feminist”, even if the rest of the movie keeps every outdated trope intact. Meanwhile, countless films fail to pass, exposing just how limited and one-dimensional many women’s roles remain.
It’s time to stop treating the Bechdel Test as the gold standard for women’s representation in film. While it started important conversations, the test was never meant to be a serious metric.
Changeincontent perspective
While we critique cinematic representation, it is equally crucial to examine power and participation behind the scenes. Read our earlier commentary on women in films for a deeper look into the narrative behind the lens.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history, encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
