The Bechdel Tests

EMO THE MUSICAL | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Trinity, Roz, Jamali, and Mrs. Doyle.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a man?

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes, Roz, Jamali, Isaac, and Josh.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes, Josh and Jamali have conversations that do not mention a white person.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - Yes, Peter and Josh.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes.

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person? - Yes.

BURNING | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Hae-mi and Yeon-ju.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No, Hae-mi is the only prominent female character in the film and she doesn’t speak to any other women.

Do they speak about something other than a man?

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. All the characters of color.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

THE FAVOURITE | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Ann, Sarah, and Abigail.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Ann, Sarah, and Abigail have the majority of the conversations in the film.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, the majority of their conversations do not mention any men.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - Yes, Sarah, Ann, and Abigail*.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, numerous times.

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person? - Yes, almost all of them.

BLACKkKLANSMAN | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Patrice, Odetta, and Connie.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Patrice and Odetta have conversations twice in the movie.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - No, all of their conversations also include men.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes, Ron, Mr. Turrentine, Patrice, Odetta, Hakeem, Flip, and Kwame.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Ron has numerous conversations with Flip and Patrice, and also one with Kwame.

Do they speak about something other than a white person?? - Yes, Ron’s conversations with Patrice and Kwame do not involve mentions of white characters.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

A STAR IS BORN | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Ally and Gail.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a man?

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes, Noodles, Ramon, Etta James, and Little Feet.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - Yes. Etta James, Emerald, Ramon and DJ Shangela.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Etta James, Ramon, and Emerald are involved in a conversation with other characters at the beginning.

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

AT ETERNITY’S GATE | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Johanna and Gaby.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a man?

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

VICE | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Lynne, Mary, Liz, and Condoleeza.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Lynne, Mary and Liz are involved in quite a few conversations.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - No, all conversations involve or mention Dick.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Condoleeza and Colin. 

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - Yes, Mary and Heather.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

ROMA | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Cleo, Sofía, Sofi, Adela, Teresa, and Dr. Velez.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Cleo has conversations with all of the other female characters.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, quite a few times.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Cleo, Adela, and Fermín.*

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Cleo has numerous conversations with Adela and Fermín.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

CONSENSUS: 6/9

HOW IT ENDS | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Sam, Ricki, Paula, and Meg.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a man?

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Sam, Ricki, Paula, and Tom.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Tom and Ricki have numerous conversations.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes, when Tom convinces Ricki to come with them.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

MARY POPPINS RETURNS | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Mary, Jane, Anabel, Ellen, Cousin Topsy, and Balloon Lady.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, these characters have numerous conversations throughout the movie.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, one example is at the end of the movie when the balloon lady talks to Mary Poppins about taking a balloon.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Frye and Angus.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

BIRD BOX | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Malorie, Girl, Olympia, Jessica, Cheryl, Lucy, and Dr. Lapham.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, these characters have numerous conversations throughout the movie.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, Malorie has conversations with Olympia, Jessica, and Dr. Lapham that don’t involve men.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Tom, Dr. Lapham, Charlie, Lucy, and Greg.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes. Greg, Charlie, and Tom are involved in a few of the same conversations.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - No, all the conversations happen in a group setting where white people are also talking. 

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No, just one, Greg.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Gwen, Aunt May, Mary Jane, Rio, Peni, and Doc Ock.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Gwen talks to Peni, but their conversations include men.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - No.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Miles, Aaron, Jeff, Rio, Peni, and Miss Calleros.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes. Many times.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes, Miles talks to his dad, Jeff, many times without the mention of a white person.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

A SIMPLE FAVOR | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Emily, Stephanie, Mrs. Kerry, Stacy, Sona, Margaret and Diana.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Stephanie has conversations with numerous women in the movie.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, quite a few times. One time specifically is when Stephanie talks to Diana about Emily.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Sean, Nicky, Mrs. Kerry, and Sona.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Sean and Nicky have a few conversations.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - No, all of their conversations are either about Stephanie or Emily.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - Yes, Darren, Diana, and Emily.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

UFO | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes. Professor Hendricks, Natalie, and Sara.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Professor Hendricks and Natalie have one.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - No, Derek is mentioned in the conversation.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Just one, Roland Junger.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

OCEAN’S EIGHT | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes, Debbie, Lou, Daphne, Rose, Amita, Nine Ball, Constance, Tammy, and Veronica.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, these characters have numerous conversations throughout the movie. 

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, they have numerous conversations about the job that do not involve men at all.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Constance, Amita, Nine Ball, and Veronica.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes. There are many conversations in which Constance, Amita, and Nine Ball are included.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - No, all of the conversations they have include white characters. One conversation between Constance and Amita includes only them but one of the topic is a white man.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

OKJA | 2017

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes. Lucy, Nancy, Mija, Jennifer, and Red.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Mija has conversations with both Jennifer and Lucy.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes. Jennifer threatens Mija into going out on stage during the Mija rally.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes. Mija, Frank, K, and Hee Bong.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Mija has conversations with both K and Hee Bong.

Do they speak about something other than a white person? - Yes, Mija and Hee Bong have numerous conversations about Okja.

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?

THE NUN | 2018

The Original Bechdel:

Are there at least two named female characters? - Yes. Sister Irene, Sister Oana, Sister Victoria, Sister Ruth, Mother Superior, and Sister Jessica.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - Yes, Sister Irene and Sister Oana have a few conversations.

Do they speak about something other than a man? - Yes, when they’re in the Abbey, they talk about the demon.

The Racial Bechdel:

Are there at least two named characters of color? - Yes, Father Burke and Sister Ruth.

Do these characters ever have a conversation? - No.

Do they speak about something other than a white person?

The LGBTQIA+ Bechdel

Are there at least two LGBTQIA+ identifying characters? - No.

Do these characters ever have a conversation?

Do they speak about something other than a cisgender, heterosexual person?