Since today is International Women’s Day I thought it would be a good time to finally write this discussion post that’s been in my head for awhile.
I recently learned about this thing called The Bechdel Test. I can’t remember who had mentioned it or where (my guess is Twitter – my guess is always Twitter) but I do remember immediately being curious about it. It’s most often used for movies but essentially what the test comes down to is three simple questions.
1) Are there at least two [named] women?
2) Do they talk to one another?
3) And do they talk to one another about something besides a man?
You would think this would be relatively easy to accomplish but I was shocked by just how many movies failed this test. I think the thing that really got me was how many movies in IMDB’s top 250 failed The Bechdel Test. These are the movies that everyone watches! There’s a great website that catalogues movies and their level of success at passing this test. That website also links to a lot of great websites and articles about the test.
So apparently the movies suck at representing women but what about books? What would it look like if I were to apply this test to books? So I thought I would take a look at some of the books I’ve read so far in 2013 and see if they pass or fail the test.
*Just to be clear – if a book fails the test I am in no way saying it is horrible and you shouldn’t read it. I just want to look at the trend of how women are portrayed as a whole.*
The Cadet of Tildor
Pass.
There are multiple female characters. They talk to each other. And have more than one conversation that isn’t about a man.
Splintered
Fail
There are multiple women characters and they do talk to one another. But their conversations always come back to the men in the story.
Gone Girl
Fail.
There are multiple women characters. But I don’t think they speak to one another and if they do it is most certainly about Nick.
City of a Thousand Dolls
Pass.
This book has A LOT of female characters and they all talk to one another on a regular basis about a variety of subjects. (Yay!)
Ablutions
Fail.
I think only a few minor female characters are named, none of them speak to one another.
Unravel Me
Fail (I think?)
There are multiple female characters (though the others are quite minor) and they do talk to one another but I think all of their conversations are about the men in the story. Please correct me if I have forgotten something!
The Office of Mercy
Pass (with reservations)
There are multiple females characters and they do talk to one another about things other than the men BUT those conversations are pretty infrequent and quite short.
Warm Bodies
Fail.
There are two female characters and they talk to one another. But their conversations revolve around R and Julie’s father.
Nobody
Fail.
There are two named females characters but they don’t interact one on one.
Strands of Bronze and Gold
Fail.
There are multiple female characters. But all of their conversations are about Bernard.
So based on my own reading this year, it seems like books aren’t doing much better than movies. I’m curious about why this is the case and what leads people (whether consciously or subconsciously) to focus more on the male characters? Or alternatively limit the female character?
I’m curious to know if others have had a different experience with the recent reads. Maybe it’s just the type of books I’m picking up.
What books have you read recently that have either passed or failed The Bechdel Test?
This is fascinating. And important. And somewhat unsurprising, especially in YA. It’s starting to really irk me that so many YAs are girls worrying about boys. I love romance, I love good girls finding good guys, but if they’re not talking about more than just the guys, to me, it’s not a good book.
I’m finding it interesting that looking back on my last year’s reading, most of my favourite books have passed the Bechdel test. The ones that haven’t are ones I didn’t love. VERY interesting.
One of my favourite, obviously-passes-the-Bechdel-test books lately is Code Name Verity. Barely any mention of dudes, most of the discussion is about living life, being happy, and trying to survive during WWII. Amazing.
Thanks for the awesome post. Come by and read my first discussion post on something kind of related: why YA books should have more good boys, or why bad boys suck. =p
I love a good romance too but you’re right there’s more to a person than just their love interest. And Code Name Verity is a fantastic example of a book that passes The Bechdel Test. It so fabulous in so many ways.
I think I first learned of the Bechdel test in my women studies classes, but I also really love these two Feminist Frequency videos (and any video from Anita): http://www.feministfrequency.com/2009/12/the-bechdel-test-for-women-in-movies/ & http://www.feministfrequency.com/2012/02/the-2012-oscars-and-the-bechdel-test/.
The crazy thing is that at first it’s like “um, how can you NOT pass this test?” but very few films (and books even, like you point out) do. & it is SUCH a low freaking bar that if a book or film just pass that it should be celebrated. Also a film or book can pass the Bechdel Test and not be considered feminist.
I recently read Delirium and I think that fails as well. I also agree with Tiff, Code Name Verity surpasses the Bechdel Test & I loved it for that!!
Wonderful post Christa
You’re right about Delirium, which makes me sad
It’s one of my all time favourite series – although I have to add the sequels do past the test so at least that’s something!
I don’t know – DOES Delirium really fail? Hana and Lena talk to each other, but Hana doesn’t even know about Alex until later on. Usually it’s about life, music, running, school, etc. And that definitely changes by Pandy.
Also, I think it’s interesting, but in my experience it seems to be the fantasy books that tend to pass this test (as in, more high fantasy). I’d have to really dig deeper to see if that’s accurate but I find that interest. Also, probably sci fi.
You’re right! I forgot about their pre-Alex coversations (which is bad since I JUST re-read it). And I think your right about fantasy titles passing the test but I would hesitate on the sci-fi. I feel like a lot of sci-fi titles I’ve read are pretty male oriented.
I haven’t read as much sci fi to be fair – but on second thought i see what you’re saying. usually they don’t have enough women at all and that would hold it back. i think that’s beginning to change now though as scifi increases in mainstream popularity (even just in YA – like Earth Girl)
Oops, I think you are right Brenna. I kinda thought that since a lot of their convos come back to love/deliria in general that it was about boys, but not necessarily so.
I wonder if fantasy may pass more because it is not grounded in our world, and so characters have more things to talk about and establish? Although that argument could be used to justify novels not passing the Bechdel test in the contemporary genre, etc.:/
Unravel Me does fail because the only females who talk to Juliette are the twins right? Don’t they talk to Juliette in relation to Adam or Kenji or Warner (they tend to be the reason why she’s in the hospital where they treat her injuries or she’s the cause of the boys’ injuries. She even says she didn’t talk to them much when she was staying at Omega Point at the beginning of the book.
I could be wrong.
Love this post and might do the test on my own books as a vlog.
I posted about this recently too, having just learned about it. I was truly blown away by how many films fail the test, but somehow, not surprised by how many books I read that failed. It’s pretty rare for a YA heroine to talk about anything but her latest love interest lol
It’s so true and so sad. I just don’t understand why every YA book thinks the female character needs a love interest!
Humm… I’ve never heard of this test before but to say it is enlightening is an understatement. I’m surprised how many books that you’ve listed and other books that I can think of, have failed this test. How sad…