Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

Image purchased from Storyblocks.co

What the heck is the Bechdel Test?

For those who don’t know, the Bechdel Test (also known as the Bechdel–Wallace test) was popularised by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel.

It first appeared in Bechdel’s comic “Dykes to Watch out for”.

The strip in question was titled The Rule.  To pass the Bechdel tests, a work of fiction must have:

a) at least 2 women (preferably named)

b) who talk to each other

c) about something other than a man

While the Bechdel test is used to rate movies, it can be used when studying other forms for fiction too.  Such as novels!