The Bechdel Test is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are. It was created by Allison Bechdel in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For in 1985. It is astonishing the number of popular movies that can’t pass this simple test. It demonstrates how women’s complex and interesting lives are underrepresented or non existent in the film industry. We have jobs, creative projects, friendships and struggles among many other things that are actually interesting in our lives… so Hollywood, start writing about it!

For full video transcript click here >>

The Bechdel Test is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are. It was created by Allison Bechdel in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For in 1985. It is astonishing the number of popular movies that can’t pass this simple test. It demonstrates how women’s complex and interesting lives are underrepresented or non existent in the film industry. We have jobs, creative projects, friendships and struggles among many other things that are actually interesting in our lives… so Hollywood, start writing about it!

Check out other great blogs and commentary about the Bechdel Test:

The Bechdel Test for Women and Movies Transcript

The Bechdel Test or the Mo Movie Measure is a type of litmus test to assess the presence of women in movies. It originated from Allison Bechdel’s comic “Dykes to Watch Out For” in 1985. Here’s how it works, a movie just has to pass these three simple questions: the first, are there two or more women in it who have names, the second, do they talk to each other, and the third, do they talk to each other about something other then a man.

It’s quite extraordinary actually how many movies don’t pass this test cause it’s not even a sign of whether its a feminist movie or whether its a good movie just that there is female presence in it and that they actually are engaging about things other then men.

To prove that this is actually a systemic problem and not just a few movies here and there, I can show you a couple films that don’t pass the test.

The Dark Knight

District 9

Slumdog Millionaire

Terminator Salvation

GI Joe

Shrek

Watchmen

Bourne Supremacy

Bourne Identity

Transformers

Bruno

Hackers

Ghostbusters

The Big Lebowski

Wall-E

Wanted

Ocean’s Twelve

Clerks

Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 and 3

Austin Powers 1, 2 and 3

Men in Black

Fight Club

The Fifth Element

The Princess Bride

Hellboy 2

Milk

The Wedding Singer

Shawshank Redemption

Reservoir Dogs

Point Break

Quantum of Solace 007

Indiana Jones

Alien 3

Lord of the Rings 1, 2 and 3

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

The Truman Show

From Dusk till Dawn

Trainspotting

Mission Impossible

Braveheart

Toy Story

Gladiator

X Men

Wolverine

When Harry Met Sally

Back to the Future 1, 2 and 3

Tomb Raider

Pulp Fiction

Interview with the Vampire

Seven

Home Alone

Up

Okay you get the point, this is only just a few films out of the many films that don’t pass this test. When I call it a systemic problem what I mean by this is that it’s not just a few people here and there that don’t like women, or don’t want women’s stories told, but rather the entire industry is built upon creating films and movies that cater to and are about men.

Next time you go to the movies just ask yourself these few questions. Are there two or more women in it and do they have names? Do they talk to each other? And do they talk to each other about something other then a man?