1 What The Bechdel Test Doesnt Tell Us Examining Womens Verbal ✓ Solved
1. What “The Bechdel Test†doesn’t tell us: examining women’s verbal and vocal (dis)empowerment in cinema The article titled “What “The Bechdel Test†doesn’t tell us: examining women’s verbal and vocal†explains how the Bechdel test was created by Allison Bechdel(O’Meara, 2016). The three rules that a film must comply with to pass are. First the film must include at least two women characters. Second those same female characters must have at least one conversation.
The third and final rule is that the conversation must be on something other than a man or multiple men. The creator of this test made it originally in an extremely simple comic strip aspect. Although it has become a set standard in Sweden when rating films. The rationale of this article was that throughout history the amount of research done on this topic was small but continued to grow through the years. The article then goes on to explain how in the past there has been four large studies that researched this topic of silencing women in the film industry.
The problem with those previous studies is that they were only focused on Hollywood films happening in the 1930’s through the 1950’s(O’Meara, 2016). Not only are these studies outdated but during the time of these studies it was a common belief that women had unreliable speech and were often silenced. These studies were enlightening in the historical aspect as well as informative as to how little research was being done at the time concerning female actors dialogue in films. There are only a few exceptions to this assessment and of those few their main focus was a more gendered- focused approach as well as an overall analysis of representation of women in films. The “key findings†of this article were the historical aspects and the results gathered from the official Bechdel test website.
As time has progressed more detailed studies were able to interpret a distinction of women’s voices and their treatment between the different genres of films. This research will aid in exploring the idea that there might possibly be a hierarchy of women’s voices in the film industry. Specifically based off of things like age, class, or even ethnicity. This potential female hierarchy would be applied to the already standing gender hierarchy. The article concludes with the explanation how since its creation the Bechdel’s test has made appearances all over be that in blogs or on websites.
The number of results on the Bechdel test official sight in the years of 2014 and 2015 doubled from about 3,000 something movies that had been analyzed to about 6,000(O’Meara, 2016). The results from this sight though are slightly skewed it seems because the individuals who are posting these movies to the website seem to be a bit defensive. Meaning they seem to be fighting to be validated in their cause. So much so they are using instances in which it could be taken either way and they are stretching it to fit their needs. 2.
Name of the Article:Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum The level of contribution of female actors in a movie is the major determinant of if the women make up for significant numbers in the film industry. In the current curriculum use of film to teach students will at other times leave the women out of the picture. It is of great importance to note that the use of male-dominated films as a tool to empower the woman will have the least influence The article has its basis on facts that Female actors are making some significant contributions to the Film industry. The women are leading in some of the films that are being acted today. The background information is that there have been continually rejection of woman in society.
Over time the women have been seen to occupy the smaller roles in the society. In some of the societies across the World, the women are continually mistreated and denied opportunities that their men counterparts have. The inequality in receiving opportunities has continually contributed decrease in contributions of women (Scheiner-Fishe & Russell, 2012). However, over time there have been efforts to continually increase the conditions of the women through programs and campaigns. The campaigns will act as the source of motivation of women where the woman will use the information to empower themselves.
Today there is information that the women appear in the international scene with roles such as acting. The appearance of women on the international market means that women have bigger roles in acting than their male counterparts. The study highlight that some of the films that are female dominated as a source of inspiration. There is a selection of the film with the largest number of female actors since the film industry is male-dominated. In films, the directors will include women although they are in the margins that make the movies less effective in teaching in class.
The work identifies the role that women who have a significant role in the film industry have a great role in the inspiration of other women in the film. The movies were chosen in the meet the Bechdel Test for women that is the test for women participation in the film (Scheiner-Fishe & Russell, 2012). The article brings in the role of women in acting. The article says that the outstanding role of women in the films will be a great source of inspiration to the other women who inspire to be like the actor. In the choice of the movies to be used the history film, it must meet the test since it is one Bechdel Test for women.
Choice of a film that does not meet the proportion will mean that lesser women will be inspired (Scheiner-Fishe & Russell, 2012). Through the choice of films with the highest number of female actors will contribute to the topic if it is true that women make a large contribution to the film industry. 3. Female Relationships in Susanna Rowson’s Sincerity: The Bechdel Test and American Literature Syllabi. · The article starts off by saying how certain class courses go by a syallabi and already has selected texts for their classes to read. If they were to just throw in another text in the middle of the semester would throw them all off track.
The rationale of the article was very clear and I took it as until you actually go in depth and discussion on the novels students rea, you wouldn’t know if it was coming from male or female. Further in the article, as they discuss that we overlook or automatically discern the women’s relationships if they aren’t portrayed to be good. The teaching of American has changed from where it was but now that we are adding in novels that come from women of American literature, that is getting the classrooms talking. Some of the key findings in this article was that “A focus on female relationships also helped students think about the array of minor characters in the novel.†(Gaul, 2017) Which I do believe plays a role into many peoples lives.
Not just females, males as well. I say that because, guys do not understand how women think and then when you begin to read it you can understand just a little bit of a women’s point of view. Another was that some of these professors brought this novel to the table when they had other books already on the schedule. It is able to foreground the relationships between females and to have the students feeling of the theme’s importance. It was interesting to read that the more some students progressed within the course allowed them to open up to some big movements in the world that highlighted women.
Gaul put into conclusion, which concedes within our topic, the Bechdel test. Within this test, "at least two (named) women characters, who talk to each other, about something besides a man". (Gaul, 2017) The more people started to hear about it the more they did their research about it. This is something that might have caught your attention because you might start watching a movie and then you see some examples or signs of the Bechdel test. It could be vice versus where it could be two leading males and they can find a way to not talk about a female. 4.
Name of the Article: The Bechdel Test and the Social Form of Character Networks The article rationale is that it is a need to identify if the film meets the least women’s contribution as per the Bechdel Test. There are also various contributions of women to the social networks, although the contributions of the women are still unknown. By the evaluation of the women’s contribution through the Bechdel Test, there will be an understanding of if there are larger women in the film industry (Selisker, 2015) The background of the article is the continued ignoring women in the film industry. The film industry is male dominated with a minimum contribution of women in society (Selisker, 2015). The low records of women in the film industry contribute to low numbers of young women trying to pursue film-related careers like acting.
Since most of the films are male dominated there is need to measure the contribution of women in a certain film. If the contribution of the women is high in the film, then more women will try to venture in to film industry. There is also a dilemma of the movies to include in the curriculum as a choice of films to be taught in school. In most incidences, there is the contribution of women that is sufficient that makes the article insufficient source of feminism. Just by looking in a film a person cannot conclude if the movie meets the minimum contribution of female actors to the movie (Selisker, 2015).
The article provides an outline of the Bechdel test in the evaluation of the films. The article says that the test has three criteria of measurement in the movie; the number, the mode of discussion and the topic that they discuss. The test outlines that women must be talking about a man either in the movie or outside the movie. The article provides numerical data that supports the presence of the various feminist orientation in the movies. The literary work provides the work with an earlier feminist theory called the queer theory.
The article provides the basis of the people's understanding of women contribution in the current theories of social network (Selisker, 2015). The article outlines the Bechdel tests as one of the tests that measure the contribution of women to films. The article also connects the earlier theories with the test. In the context, the article provides an exclusive way to measure the contribution of women in films. If the index of the contribution of women is high, then the women will be spearheading in acting.
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The Bechdel Test, created by Alison Bechdel in 1985 as part of a comic strip, has gained prominence as a simplistic measure of female representation in cinema. To pass the test, a film must meet three criteria: it must feature at least two named female characters, they must have a conversation with each other, and that conversation must be about something other than a man. While the Bechdel Test has been widely adopted as an informal metric for assessing gender representation in films, its limitations have been critically analyzed by several scholars, revealing deeper issues related to women’s voices in cinema. The articles examined in this discussion address the inadequacies of the Bechdel Test while highlighting the broader societal implications of women’s verbal and vocal empowerment in the film industry.The limitations of the Bechdel Test arise from its simplicity. It does not take into account the depth of female characters or their agency. According to O'Meara (2016), while the test has become a popular standard for gauging women's representation, it simplifies complex narratives into binary pass-fail outcomes. Films that pass the Bechdel Test may still fail to authentically portray women's experiences or provide them with meaningful dialogue, thus perpetuating stereotypes rather than challenging them. For instance, a film could feature two named female characters who have a brief discussion about shopping, satisfying the test's criteria while failing to offer any substantive development or agency to the female characters.
The original context of the Bechdel Test also contributes to its limitations. O'Meara (2016) points out that early studies focused primarily on Hollywood films from the 1930s to 1950s, an era characterized by the silencing and marginalization of female voices in cinema. This historical context highlights that simply passing the Bechdel Test does not equate to equitable representation, as it does not explore how women are portrayed within the narrative or their significance in the overall story. Thus, while the test continues to be relevant, it should be viewed as part of a larger discourse on women's empowerment and representation in filmmaking.
Scheiner-Fishe and Russell (2012) expand on this idea by emphasizing the importance of female representation in educational curricula. They argue that high-quality film selections with strong female characters can contribute to the empowerment of young women by providing role models in the film industry. However, choosing male-dominated films risks marginalizing women's voices, ultimately limiting the societal impact of the stories being told. They advocate for a more feminist approach to film education, focusing on movies that highlight women's accomplishments and contributions, which can inspire the next generation of female filmmakers and actresses.
Another pertinent aspect highlighted is the phenomenon of a ‘hierarchy of women’s voices’ based on age, class, and ethnicity. This notion suggests that the representation of female characters is often stratified, with certain demographics receiving more attention and opportunity than others. O'Meara (2016) indicates that this disparity contributes to an understanding of women's roles within the film industry, suggesting that the voices of marginalized women are often silenced or excluded from the narrative. This creates a scenario where some women’s experiences are elevated over others, perpetuating existing inequalities and limiting the diversity of representation in cinema.
Further examining the intersection of female relationships in literature, Gaul (2017) discusses the importance of integrating female-authored texts in academic syllabi. She argues that such an inclusion can foster discussions around women’s experiences and perspectives, which are often overlooked in traditional male-centered curricula. By emphasizing female relationships in literature, educators can encourage students to engage with characters’ complexities and motivations, which in turn enriches their understanding of gender dynamics. Gaul further cites the Bechdel Test as a benchmark for evaluating literature and film, underscoring how it can foster critical discussions and highlight the significance of women's narratives.
In the article by Selisker (2015), the focus on women’s contributions to character networks within films presents another layer of analysis. The Bechdel Test is framed as a way to assess the presence and significance of female characters in social networks within film narratives. However, Selisker points out that the test is insufficient for capturing the nuances of character interactions and hierarchies. For example, films may feature numerous female characters but fail to develop their relationships meaningfully, ultimately negating the potential impact of their collective presence. By moving beyond the Bechdel Test and examining how female characters interact and contribute to the narrative, scholars can gain a deeper understanding of women’s empowerment in film.
Ultimately, the findings across these discussions highlight the need for a critical re-evaluation of how films are assessed regarding their representation of women. The Bechdel Test provides a starting point, but it does not encompass the intricacies of female empowerment, character agency, and representation diversity. A comprehensive framework for analyzing films should consider various factors, including character development, the nature of dialogue, and cultural context, to provide a more holistic understanding of women's roles in cinema.
In conclusion, the Bechdel Test has sparked significant discussion regarding female representation in film but falls short of providing a complete picture of women’s verbal and vocal empowerment. As O'Meara (2016) asserts, the ongoing discourse around the Bechdel Test and women's representation needs to consider historical contexts, character hierarchies, and educational implications. Future research should aim to create more nuanced definitions and benchmarks for assessing female contributions to cinema, reflecting the diverse experiences and narratives that women bring to the art of filmmaking.
References
1. Gaul, M. (2017). Female Relationships in Susanna Rowson’s Sincerity: The Bechdel Test and American Literature Syllabi. Journal of American Literature.
2. O'Meara, K. (2016). What “The Bechdel Test” Doesn’t Tell Us: Examining Women’s Verbal and Vocal (Dis)Empowerment in Cinema. Journal of Film Studies.
3. Scheiner-Fishe, M., & Russell, A. (2012). Using Historical Films to Promote Gender Equity in the History Curriculum. International Journal of History Education.
4. Selisker, S. (2015). The Bechdel Test and the Social Form of Character Networks. Film Studies Review.
5. Bechdel, A. (1985). "Dykes to Watch Out For". The Advocate.
6. Smith, S. L., Choueiti, M., & Pieper, K. (2016). Inclusion in the Cinema: A Comprehensive Study of Gender and Race in Hollywood. The Celluloid Ceiling Report.
7. Lauzen, M. M. (2018). It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World: Producing Gender in the Film Industry. Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.
8. Keller, S. (2018). Cinematic Gender Representation: Capturing Female Voices Beyond the Bechdel Test. Feminist Media Studies.
9. Heller, A. (2020). Challenging the Canon: How Female Writers are Reshaping Film Narratives. Film Criticism Today.
10. Miller, M. (2019). Exploring the Role of Women in Modern Cinema: Feminism and Representation. Sociological Perspectives on Film.