So I want to tell you about something that may potentially ruin the way you watch tv or movies or read books. (If that's not the best way to get someone to stop reading a blog post, I don't know what is.) When I say "ruin," I mean make it harder for you to enjoy media without thinking about it. But willful ignorance, while easier to live with, is not a characteristic of a thoughtful, strong person; thus, I feel validated in sharing this little bit of knowledge because you are a thoughtful, strong person. But if you choose to stop reading, I understand: sometimes it's nice veg out on a dumb book and not think about all the literary and female-empowering reasons you shouldn't—admittedly I read pointless novels from time to time because not everything needs to matter.
Bechdel test: a ranking system for films, tv shows, and books suggesting positive portrayal of women and consisting of the following three rules: 1) there must be at least two female characters 2) who talk to each other 3) about something besides men.
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Seems like a fairly low bar to set, right? But then you start thinking of the last few movies you've seen, and you're hard pressed to find one that fits. Even movies that feel like they have more women in them still fail this test (the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy fails along with two Harry Potter movies).
In November a group of movie theaters in Sweden began posting whether the films they were showing passed this test, showcasing how the majority of films didn't. Have you ever been to a restaurant that lists the calorie count for its meals? One second I'm all about the chicken alfredo, and the next my arteries are crying out for me to choose something that won't cause my heart to fail. I go with the minestrone. I think this is how it would be if theaters in America posted the Bechdel test. One minute you're ready to dig into a big helping of The Hobbit, and the next you're asking yourself, "Really? They couldn't find two women to be in the same scene together? They make up half the population."
I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "I love The Hobbit, and why do you have to pick on that film? It's not a big deal." I like The Hobbit too (though The Lord of the Rings series is much better), and yes, out of everything there is to make noise about, this isn't a big deal. But if I'm going to eat a big piece of chocolate cake, I want to knowingly ingest those calories. I'm not going to stop eating chocolate cake, but I'm going to make sure I'm eating a more balanced diet overall. So it goes with what I'm choosing to watch and read. It's not that stories about men aren't good. Men are awesome! I just want to make sure I'm watching stories about women too.
Cheers,
Amanda Kae
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