Nikki Baughan on female role models in the cinema
"If girls grow up without seeing strong female characters on screen – leaders, engineers, scientists – it has a very real impact on how they see their place in the world."
- Nikki Baughan, quoted in Metro
The Bechdel test is a simple algorithm you can apply to a film or other work of fiction to evaluate whether it has decent and significant roles for women. You only have to ask yourself three questions:
(1) Are there at least two female characters?
(2) If so, do they talk to each other?
(3) If so, do they talk about something other than a man?
The film passes the test only if the answer to all three questions is 'yes'. According to Baughan, who edits MovieScope, many current movies have "striking" female characters, but the films fail the test because they are "designed to interact with and support the males." This situation, she thinks, does not provide adequate inspiration for young female viewers.
You can read the entire article here.