The Reverse Bechedel Test · 6:29am Aug 28th, 2014
"The Bechdel test asks if a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The requirement that the two women must be named is sometimes added."
So, how many of you have written one or more stories that fail the Bechedel Test? Quite frankly, that would be hard to do in this fandom. I'd love to hear your excuse.
The more interesting question: How many of you have written stories that fail the reverse Bechedel test--stories that never have two male characters talking to each other about something besides a female character?
In fact, how many of you have never written a ponyfic that passed the ledehceB Test? Or never even read one?
This is why I'm striving to make my fics inclusive of heterosexuality, and male sexuality in general. Boy, there's a sequence of words you won't hear very often.
Disclaimer: The Bechedel Test is a thought experiment only, and is not necessarily useful for determining whether a piece of media is inclusive or empowering. You are a fool if you don't realize this fact.
Better question is why anyone cares about the Bechedel Test
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At the moment I do because talking about gender in ponyfics is amusing.
Or.
Here is a crazy idea no one has thought of before.
Ignore all these stupid fucking tests.
And focus on making your characters and the story are well crafted.
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THIS POST IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY AND INTERESTING NOBODY IS SAYING THAT YOU ARE AN OPPRESSIVE SHITLORD FOR ANYTHING YOU HAVE DONE LATELY
UNLESS YOU'VE WRITTEN A GODAWFUL FIC ABOUT THE CHARACTERS ALL BEING IN HEAT AND SO BEING SLAVES TO THE READER-AVATAR MALE CHARACTER OR SOMETHING BUT THAT PRETTY MUCH FALLS UNDER "FOCUS ON YOUR CHARACTERS AND STORY" NOW DOESN'T IT
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My post was supposed to be humorous too.
The whole never thought of thing was supposed to be the hint.
Amazingly enough, I believe I've written at least four stories that fail the Bechdel test:
The Carnivore's Prayer
The Glass Blower
For Whom We Are Hungry
The Last Trumpet's Call
Mind you, that leaves 16 or so other stories that easily pass the test, many of which (in fact, probably the majority) fail the Reverse Bechdel test.
I think the common factor is that my stories tend to focus on a small number of characters. If someone isn't important to the narrative, they tend not to be included, much less given a name.
I have one story that passes, and one that almost passes (Mac and Caramel are going on a date, but the conversation is about not letting Apple Bloom know.)
However, that's out of only about three stories I have that pass a test that goes:
There are two characters who are not the mane six or CMC...
Who talk to each other...
About something other than the mane six or CMC.
If you don't pass that test, you've auto-failed a reverse-Bechdel. Since I focus almost exclusively on the main characters, it's a miracle that I passed it once.
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After poking through my list... I have one story that almost passes the reverse test--a male character talks to an innkeeper about getting a room for himself and his female companion.
and a porn short that fails the normal Bechedel Test (two shorts depending on Futa Trixie's gender identity.)
The rest have token male characters at best.
It seems I am projecting my own issues onto you folks .-.
2408166 Real answer: the fact that so many movies (and other media, but the thing is mostly used in film criticism) fail is, in and of itself, interesting. Why do we, as a society, do that, and why do so few people notice/care?
It'd be like wondering why a girls' toys have to be pink.
As for any individual work: not really telling you anything. There are a lot of better ways to look at how an individual piece deals with gender than this somewhat arbitrary standard. Two examples: The Avengers fails, because Natasha and Maria never actually talk to each other, but The Winter Soldier passes because they do, in fact, talk shop. Yet I could still argue that Avengers gives both women more agency, especially since TWS reduces Natasha to "the chick" who's primarily interested in what Steve is doing with his love life. (one could counter that it's all part of an elaborate distraction, but I feel she goes to far for that to make sense.)
BTW: of my two stories, both pass the traditional and fail the ponified test (no more than one male with lines) and one passes bookplayer's variant (It's Twi and two OC guards of hers).