The point of the test is to point out how few things do pass, and to codify this very basic level of representation. I don't think there's any way to make a test that something has to pass to determine whether or not it's feminist. The Bechdel Test is like, the lowest threshold for gender representation and a good place to start discussion. We can use it as shorthand to point out that the Sex and the City movies usually *do* pass, but what does that mean? Yay women! Boo stereotypes!
I agree that there are some problems with the test (which, to be fair, Bechdel neither named or meant as anything more than a pointed joke and commentary on media in society) if someone uses it as the end point of discussion, rather than the jumping off point, but I do still think it's incredibly useful as a discussion tool.
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Date: 2010-10-27 08:45 pm (UTC)From:I agree that there are some problems with the test (which, to be fair, Bechdel neither named or meant as anything more than a pointed joke and commentary on media in society) if someone uses it as the end point of discussion, rather than the jumping off point, but I do still think it's incredibly useful as a discussion tool.