Bechdel test

American  

[bek-duhl test] / ˈbɛk dəl ˌtɛst /

Sometimes Bechdel-Wallace test

noun

1. a test of gender stereotyping and inequality in fiction, having a number of variations and used especially with movies, based on whether the work includes at least two fairly important female characters who talk to each other about something besides a man.

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Etymology

Origin of Bechdel test

First recorded in 2005–10; named after U.S. cartoonist Alison Bechdel (born 1960); first introduced as a nameless concept in a 1985 comic strip in Bechdel's series Dykes to Watch Out For (1983–2008), later credited to Bechdel's friend Liz Wallace

Example Sentences

"And it means we pass the Bechdel test," adds Barbé laughing.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2024

The Bechdel test comes from the comic "Dykes to Watch Out For" by Alison Bechdel, MacArthur Fellowship winner and author of the graphic memoir "Fun Home," which was turned into a 2015 Tony Award-winning musical.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2022

The Bechdel test alone cannot measure how nuanced or significant the representation of women is in a film, but “Morbius” doesn’t really pass that basic hurdle.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2022

To the Philharmonic’s credit, though, the concerts have featured those premieres, even if the fact that both are based on Clara and Robert sets off a Bechdel test alarm.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2022

On an art historical Bechdel test, this gallery would earn a very rare A.

From Washington Post • Jul. 15, 2021