The Bechdel Test is a rule that originated in a 1985 comic strip, which went on to become Hollywood’s metric in which they decide how well their films represent women. It first appeared in the comic Dykes To Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel, and she intended it to be “a little lesbian joke in an alternative feminist newspaper”, little did she know it would go on to define so much of contemporary cinema! 

The rules of the Bechdel Test seem simple enough: the film must include at least two named women, who must talk to each other, and it must be about something other than a man. Despite the simplicity of the requirements, research found that only 64% of films in the 2010s fit all three of the criteria!

But it is surprising to see that some of the most well-loved films of all time (by all genders) do not pass the test, which begs the question, how necessary is the Bechdel Test, and does it actually help with feminism?  

IMDB’s top 3 highest rated movies of 2025 were James Gunn’s Superman, Weapons, and Sinners. Neither Superman nor Weapons pass the Bechdel Test, and Sinners does pass by a very small margin – with the two women having a very brief interaction, surrounded by men who are the main focus of the scene. 

The popularity of these films suggests that this kind of female representation is not a defining factor for if people enjoy a film, not because they don’t want to see feminism on their screen, but because the Bechdel Test may be an outdated measure of how we understand female representation in modern day. In fact, there are many films we would consider having good female representation that fail the Bechdel Test, as well as films we would not consider to be remotely feminist which pass the test! 

For example…. 

Die Hard – PASS 
Die Hard is hardly considered a turning point of feminist movies, focusing on two macho men fighting it out over the damsel in distress. However, the singular interaction between Holly McLane and her secretary Ginny about their Christmas Party fulfils all criteria on the test!  

The Avengers – FAIL 
The 2012 Avengers movie only fulfils one criteria by having three named female characters, but they never interact with each other. However, individually, the three women can be viewed as complex, feminist characters.

Maria is calm and authoritative, not afraid to criticise her male superiors. Pepper is the CEO of Iron Man’s Stark Industries, and the brains behind the operation, without her Tony Stark would just be a man in a metal suit. Natasha is the only female avenger in this movie but she is crucial to the plot, saving lives on multiple occassions and bringing the badass female power that the male-dominated film so desperately needs. 

Granted, there is definitely a debate to be had about to what extent she is sexualised by men throughout the movie, but she herself does not use her sexuality or charm to gain power – a massive ick in movies. Jumanji I’m looking at you. 

Shrek – FAIL  
I’m devastated. Whilst the film does have an abundance of female characters, the only time they interact is to discuss a man, meaning that ultimately it fails the test. But there is no doubt that Fiona is an independent strong feminist figure. But don’t worry, all Shrek sequels do pass the Bechdel Test! 

Goodfellas – PASS 
This 1990 mob violence, mafia betrayal movie passes the Bechdel Test by a scrape of its teeth. The women do talk to each other about something other than men, but their conversations are limited to babies, interior design, and one vaguely anti-semitic comment. Not the most riveting conversations, and definitely not the most feminist. 

Snow White (2025) – FAIL 
One of the most hated movies of all time, but not for the reason you would expect!

When shooting this film, star Rachel Zegler said about her titular character “it’s not 1937 anymore…she’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love, she’s dreaming about the leader she knows she can be”.

This comment was followed by immediate backlash about how it is changing the plot, but regardless of opinions, everyone expected a new feminist take on the 2025 remake of this classic fairytale. So it is surprising to see that this film doesn’t pass the Bechdel Test, missing out on the final criteria as all conversations between women are about men.  

So, whilst the Bechdel Test is still widely used and can assist writers in making sure they have integrated female characters strongly into their work, it is a very bare minimum approach and is unfortunately often used as a tick box. Good female representation is in more than just a name or a conversation, it is through real experience and honest female perspective.  

Have a think, do your favourite movies pass or fail the test, and does that influence how you enjoy them? 

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