Feminists

erpowers

(9,386 posts)

31. A Bad Test

Sun Jan 6, 2013, 12:42 PM

Jan 2013

I think the test used in this video is a bad test. A number of the movies listed portray strong leading women. Wanted and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (both staring Angelina Jolie) feature strong leading female characters. I have not seen the movie, but I far as I know Batman: The Dark Knight Rises features the character of Cat Woman who goes toe-to-toe with Batman.

Why must movies feature two women who talk to each other about something other than men? Why is it not enough to have strong female characters who interact with men in movies? It seems to me that it is more important to have strong female characters in movies as opposed to having multiple women talking to each other about something other than men. I would not have a problem with a movie that had multiple female characters talking about something other than men. However, as long as there is a strong female character in a movie I am fine.

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Highlight:

The Bechdel test for Women in Movies - it takes about 2 min and fascinated and enlightened me [View all] Mira Jan 2013 OP

kick samsingh Jan 2013 #1

K and R Squinch Jan 2013 #2

wow, rec'd n/t NMDemDist2 Jan 2013 #3

Very interesting. I guess the very pervasiveness of the problem annabanana Jan 2013 #4

Yup - "click" - like when the lightbulb Mira Jan 2013 #5

The website is pretty interesting too intaglio Jan 2013 #6

The narrator Doc Holliday Jan 2013 #7

How would you present this subject as "glass half-full"? Iggo Jan 2013 #8

I still like "Clerks" secondvariety Jan 2013 #9

Wow! This is the kind of deeper understanding that needs to be part of the dialogue... NYC_SKP Jan 2013 #10

I had this same "click" moment while watching The Good Wife. enough Jan 2013 #11

One of those movies wasn't fair TlalocW Jan 2013 #12

lol . . .n/t annabanana Jan 2013 #13

Wall-E is unfair because some of the robots are feminized. knitter4democracy Jan 2013 #14

Very enlightening - even movies ostensibly targeted to women don't pass that test... Richardo Jan 2013 #15

Is the other side of that different? thesquanderer Jan 2013 #18

I had talked about this phenomenon with my boyfriend before. Starry Messenger Jan 2013 #16

Fascinating, duhneece Jan 2013 #17

My novel just barely passes the test nuxvomica Jan 2013 #19

If they do meet the test, I've heard men AND women call them AllyCat Jan 2013 #20

even many/most "chick flicks" the women are talking about men Hamlette Jan 2013 #23

enlightening! dooner Jan 2013 #21

R&K. For later viewing. nt longship Jan 2013 #22

Wow. ninehippies Jan 2013 #24

I'd like to see 3 categories naturallyselected Jan 2013 #25

Women in movies are generally props.... Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2013 #26

Like A Little Misleading erpowers Jan 2013 #27

I noted that about X-Men as well--the two women only talk to each other... Moonwalk Jan 2013 #32

forwarded to film evaluator NJCher Jan 2013 #28

This reminds me of why I like Hiyao Miyazaki's cartoons so much starroute Jan 2013 #29

I'm not sure it actually passes the test, but... reACTIONary Jan 2013 #30

"She must mean" nah, she was pretty clear. Nice try though. Warren Stupidity Jan 2013 #41

A Bad Test erpowers Jan 2013 #31

It's not a bad test and here is WHY there must be two women... Moonwalk Jan 2013 #34

No, Not True erpowers Jan 2013 #39

Well said. spooky3 Jan 2013 #40

One interpretation (probably misguided) Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #33

So...Thor was a Chick Flick? Moonwalk Jan 2013 #35

Hell, I don't know. Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #36

This is interesting. MyshkinCommaPrince Jan 2013 #37

Interesting video. Made me think. Demo_Chris Jan 2013 #38

This is really interesting gollygee Jan 2013 #42