The Gender Gap And The Bechdel Test
A year ago, actress Robin Wright denounced the Netflix platform for receiving less salary than her partner Kevin Spacey, both co-stars of the House of Cards series. Since then, and like her, dozens of actresses, producers, directors, … etc, have begun to speak publicly about the gender gap that exists in the industry.
Forbes magazine has already published the list of the highest paid actors and actresses in Hollywood. The highest paid male performer, Dwayne Johnson, earned a total of $89.4 million this year. The female performer, Scarlett Johansson, $56 million. But between the two, six other actors are positioned. This means that the highest paid actress in the American film industry has received almost the same money this year as the sixth highest paid actor.
Pay discrimination is therefore evident. Furthermore, this gender gap is not only monetary. In Spain, a study published by Aisge and the Union of Actors and Actresses pointed out that one out of every three roles is for a woman. In addition, it also found that only 34% of the leading roles are of women.
The same study describes that, to a large extent, the explanation for these data lies in the variable of age. Thus, as the woman grows older, the possibility of having a leading role diminishes. Of all the films analyzed, only 24% of the leading roles of over 45s were awarded to women. And this figure decreased to 20% in those over 64 years of age.
The role of women in the cinema
Since its inception, cinema has evolved with history. In each period, the films reflected the beliefs and social reality of that time, and with it, the position of women in society itself. Feminist movements and the multiple demands for the equality of women in all areas of life have been changing the way in which women are reflected in the cinema.
A clear example of this is in the comparison of the first films that the Walt Disney studio made with those that it is currently making. The role that Ariel, Snow White or Cinderella take in the movies is in stark contrast to Elsa or Moana.
In these latest installments, the female role is no longer a complement to the man. Her story arc stops revolving around finding her “ideal prince” and focuses on her own journey of empowerment and personal growth.
The Bechdel test
The Bechdel test first appeared in 1985 in the comic strip The Rule, written by Alison Bechdel. It is based on the idea that to avoid the gender gap, a movie, series or comic or another must meet at least three requirements:
- At least two female characters must appear .
- These two characters must talk to each other at some point.
- The conversation they have has nothing to do with a man.
The last requirement should not be limited simply to romantic themes. The conversation should not be about the male gender, whether it be about a husband, brother, father or neighbor.
As determined by the Bechdel Test Movie List page in 2015, about 61% of almost 130 analyzed passed the test. Despite all this, the Bechdel test is not always synonymous with equality.
There are films that meet all three requirements, but due to their argument they cannot be considered equal between genres. In addition, the opposite can also happen, as in the case of the seven-time Oscar winner Gravity.
Films that pass / fail the Bechdel test
- They approve : Mad Max, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Lion King (2019), Argo, Spirited Away, Children of Men, Rome, Mustang, The Life of Adèle, All About My Mother, Thelma & Louise, Back.
- Suspended : The Wolf of Wall Street, The Princess Bride, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (the original trilogy) , Avatar, Citizen Kane, The Avengers, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Godfather .
Series that pass / fail the Bechdel test
- Approve : Friends, Game of Thrones, Orange is the New Black, Lost, The Good Wife, Golden Girls, Handmaid’s Tale, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Shameless, Parks and Recreation, Veep.
- Suspended : Narcos, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Law and Order, the Sopranos, Gossip Girl, the Wire.
Cinema is one of the industries with a gender gap. As has been seen, age has a great influence on how actresses are treated, and yet this variable is not so decisive in the case of actors.
In this sense, the Bechdel test was created almost 35 years ago with the aim of establishing requirements that would act as indicators of gender equality in films. However, in recent years there has been a debate about the updating and effectiveness of this method, as well as whether these requirements should evolve to respond to the cinema of today’s society.
