The Bechdel Test is Outdated, Here is the New and Improved One
The Representation Test analyzed on five 2016 Blockbuster movies
Positive representation in the media of underrepresented groups has always been lacking. That’s why 30 years ago graphic designer and author Alison Bechdel created the “Bechdel Test,” which tests movies, video games and TV shows over a single question:
“Does this piece of media have a scene with two or more named female characters talking about something other than men?”
The question started off as a joke for Bechdel but once she started applying it to many pieces of media they failed the test dismally. Though today the mass media we consume is still lacking in some regards, there is hope. Current blockbuster movies, hit TV shows and video games are making an effort to be more inclusive to groups and people that have not had a positive voice in media in the past.
Bechdel’s test has its flaws, which is why a new test has been created. The old test did not include a diversity of marginalized groups and simply deemed a movie “good” or “bad” based on only one question when there could have been several.
The Representation Project created a new test, “The Representation Test,” that covers more diverse topics and inclusive language. This test asks questions like:
“Is the protagonist a woman, LGBT and/or differently abled character?”
“Is violence glorified, stereotypes prominent and/or men’s bodies the standard fit norm?”
“Is the director and/or screenplay writer a member of a marginalized group?”
This test is more comprehensive and gives us a better idea of how our media is shaping. It’s a simple quiz out of 27 points. You give one point to each answer that the movie represents positively, and no points if it’s represented negatively or not at all. I decided to test 5 movies that were 2016 Blockbuster hits. I chose five random movies that I had seen so I was familiar with the material, and in no way does the representation grade on the film reflect on the quality of it. I actually enjoyed all five films greatly! The results of their representation quota were surprising and comforting to say the least; while some failed with pretty spectacular lows, most soared to new heights:
Deadpool:
Points: 7
Grade: B+
Pass/Fail: PASS
Deadpool passes because it features a pansexual character with significant facial burns as a protagonist (Wade Wilson). The film has people of color in major roles who are not reduced to stereotypes of their race, such as Blind Al, who is also a differently abled character. In Deadpool women are treated with respect, such as Wilson’s fiancée, Vanessa Carlysle. She is a never judged for her profession or asked to change it to be able to marry Wilson.
Finding Dory:
Points: 18
Grade: A+
Pass/Fail: PASS
In Finding Dory, the titular character of Dory is played by an LGBT female who is over the age of 50 (Ellen DeGeneres). Sort is a differently abled protagonist whoms abilities do not negatively effect the plot but are rather shown in a much more positive light. Many characters are shown in non-traditional gender roles, such as Marlon as a doting, albeit overbearing single father. Also, the screenwriter for the movie is a woman, Victoria Strouse.
The Nice Guys:
Points: 2
D movie
Pass/Fail: FAIL
The Nice Guys is set in the 1970s which is probably a large part of why it failed the diversity test. This film didn’t have any people of color in non-stereotypical roles. It had hardly any female leads, and those that are featured are reduced to objects for the male gaze, and stereotypical shrill or promiscuous women. There’s also no LGBT characters or differently abled characters, and though Holland March is a single dad he’s a raging alcoholic and an incompetent father.
Ghostbusters (Remake):
Points: 11
A+ movie
Pass/Fail: PASS
Ghostbusters is obviously a powerhouse female led cast with an LGBT character (Jillian Holtzmann) and a woman of color (Patty Tolan) in the forefront. There’s also a woman who co-wrote the screenplay, Katie Dippold. The women are not objects of desire for the male gaze, and they pass the Bechdel test with flying colors. The two biggest downfalls is that this film reduces its woman of color protagonist, Patty, into extremely racial stereotypes. She’s the only one who isn’t a scientist and is portrayed as loud, abrasive, “street smart, but not book smart,” and is stereotypically sassy. The other downfall is ironically how they treat male characters, with impossible body image visuals, stereotypical roles, and no men of color.
Hail, Caesar!:
Points: 2
Grade: D movie
Pass/Fail: FAIL
Unfortunately Hail, Caesar! did abysmally. It portrays old Hollywood which is probably why it did so poorly representation-wise. There are no men or women of color, women are reduced objects for the male gaze and this movie did not pass the Bechdel test. There’s no diversity in the body types of characters and violence is glorified. There’s 1–2 LGBT characters who are stereotyped and ostracized for their sexuality. There are no female writers or directors on the film, no differently abled people and simply no diversity.
What I learned from this experiment is that movies that portray a certain time period, especially in the past are going to have a lower score based on what they are portraying. The newer films have a wider array of diversity, and are more conscious of staying clear of stereotypes and focusing on creating multifaceted, believable characters. This is especially true in current or recently ended TV shows, such as Parks and Rec, Stranger Things, Jane the Virgin, Orange is the New Black, Game of Thrones, Jessica Jones, The Walking Dead, Blackish, Fresh Off the Boat, Empire, and How to Get Away with Murder. The great grades some of these movies and TV shows get is not to say they are without their flaws, but they are definitely on the right path to representing diverse groups positively.
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