When it comes to the
representation of women on the big screen, there are a lot of unrealistic and
limited perceptions seen. The Bechdel Test has been a tool that is used to
break such archetypes. The Bechdel Test, also known as the Bechdel–Wallace test, is
a measure of female representation in film and television that uses three
criteria for evaluating the presence and visibility of strong female
characterizations. It was created by Alison Bechdel, an American cartoonist.
There are variations of the Bechdel Test for other protected groups, such as
the DuVernay Test, and the Vito Russo Test. The test is simple and sets the
lowest bar for meaningful female representation.
The idea for the Bechdel
Test first appeared in 1985 in Alison Bechdel’s comic strip Dykes to
Watch Out For. In the strip, one woman explains to another that she has
three simple rules for deciding if she will see a movie:
- Are there at least two named female
characters?
- Do they speak to each other?
- Do they speak to each other about something other
than a male "love" interest?
It was designed as a
joke—an indication of the lack of female representation in fiction—but it
captured the public imagination. While passing the Bechdel Test is no
indication of a film’s feminist leanings, the sheer number of releases that do
not meet its basic requirements is staggering.
Movies or media, in
general, play a very important role in many people’s lives; the impact that
they have on people is much larger than one can imagine. It shapes the mindset
and perception of society. The inadequate representation makes people fail to
see characters who remind them of themselves represented in the media they
consume; they often feel unimportant or invisible. It is as frustrating to see
underrepresented groups as seeing none appear at all. This test helps people
think critically about media, illuminates the concept of unconscious bias,
encourages discussions on quality representation and representation simply
beyond women.
Famous Blockbuster movies
like Ratatouille had only 2 named female characters in film; Solene LeClaire, a
food critic seen only in one scene, and Colette, the restaurant’s sole female
chef. The two women never interact thus it fails the test. In Slumdog
Millionaire, the protagonist Jamal’s mother, and love interest, Latika are the
only 2 named female characters in the movie. However, the two of them never
interacted with each other, thus, this movie too fails the test. Both these
movies were successful and have great ratings however, they couldn’t pass this
simple test.
Uyare, a Malayalam film
with Parvathy Thiruvothu playing the lead role of an aviation student Pallavi
who survives an acid attack, at the loss of her career. Anarkali Mariker plays
the role of her friend Sariya, who is an important support system
for Pallavi. The conversations that they have to motivate and support each
other make this movie pass the test. The Tamil movie Kolamavu Kokila, the movie
has strong women characters played by Nayanthara (Kokila), Saranya (Kokila’s
mom), and Jacqueline (Shobi, Kokila’s sister). The three women overpower the
roles of the supporting male actors. There are multiple scenes where they speak
about smuggling cocaine and Koklila’s mother’s health.
The Bechdel Test is not
perfect. As Bechdel once said, we must represent women as “subjects and not
objects.” By giving creative power to women, we inspire more complex and
compelling female subjects. Even 35 years later, the Bechdel Test is a
promising reactant to blaze the trail for meaningful representation in film.
References:
popcultureclassroom.org
vogue.in
feminisminindia.com
teenvougue.com
themedium.ca
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