The Alison Bechdel test is a synthesis of a formula for assessing gender equality and a tool for serious discussion. This tool has become, in a sense, the starting point for a conversation about the portrayal of women in cinema. The Bechdel test is elementary but, at the same time, an effective tool for assessing gender biases and prejudices in cinema based on a specific case and several essential aspects.
The Bechdel test is a unique find in cinema, which marked the beginning of an essential dialogue about the representation of women on the cinema’s big screen. Like many indicators, the test determines and evaluates the retrospective of a large-scale sample in connection with some instances and critical aspects (Kagan et al., 2020). This “examination’s” primary important case is women’s competent and correct portrayal in movies. Thus, based on this situation, Alison Bechdel highlights several significant aspects. Firstly, testing studies and evaluates the activity and independence of heroines in a movie or TV series plot. Accordingly, a “gender dialogue” is possible if women talk about abstract cases (Kagan et al., 2020). Secondly, the test analyzes the number of women speaking in the frame. Thirdly, another aspect is the designation of the names of two females. It is a remarkable and meaningful criterion for specifying heroines based on personal criteria. Fourthly, the “challenge” also determines the topic of the discussion. Women should communicate on “feminine” issues and never speak about the opposite gender.
Thus, there are such moments as illumination and representation of women in creative directions in the Bechdel test. Moreover, the test examines such aspects as the presence or absence of interaction between women, as well as the content and essence of their communication. Accordingly, this is a case of talking about informal ways to assess the attitude towards representatives of the “fair sex” from the point of view of honesty, fairness, and equality.
In conclusion, the Bechdel test is an effective, efficient, and productive strategy for evaluating the form and type of identification of female heroines in cinema. The case of the Bechdel test within the analytical framework is a competent representation of female images, gender equality, and a manifestation of respect and understanding for representatives of the “fair sex.” The “examination” places particular emphasis on such aspects as the activity or passivity of the heroines, the number of women, the designation of their names, and the topic under discussion.
Reference
Kagan, D., Chesney, T., & Fire, M. (2020). Using data science to understand the film industry’s gender gap. Palgrave Communications, 6(1), pp. 1-16. Web.