The Portrayal of Women in Media
Male characters in the film industry have a history of dominating movie scripts. Classic blockbuster films, such as Jaws, have limited numbers of female dialogue. For instance, only 9% of women speak throughout the film. Jaws, along with countless other popular films do not pass the Bechdel Test.
The Bechdel Test is a measure of the representation of women in fiction. In order for any multimedia to pass the test, two women must talk to each other about something other than a man. It sounds simple, right? You would be surprised how often popular movies fail the test. For instance, family-favorite, Toy Story has only 8% of female dialogue throughout the entire film! These films teach the false narrative to young girls and boys that women are voiceless, objectified, and are only capable of speaking about their love interests. Multimedia that does not pass the Bechdel Test is harmful to our culture and today's youth. Here’s why:
1. Women are Leaders
In the classic film, Beauty and the Beast, Belle is held captive in a cell in order to save her father from the Beast. Belle’s act of bravery is punished and, quite literally, locked away. Throughout the film, Belle’s struggles with Gaston worsens, to the point where he storms the castle in a mob to kill the Beast. When the Beast and Gaston battle, it is almost as if Belle is no longer there. She is the trophy to be won—not a woman with her own capabilities to intervene or voice her own opinions. Beauty and the Beast is problematic, not only because it doesn’t pass the Bechdel Test, but because it teaches youth that manipulation and aggression are acceptable in order to win a desired goal (Belle). In the movie’s climax, when Gaston and the Beast are fighting over the edge of the castle, does it occur to the audience that Belle is the product of this aggression? Gaston is an egomaniac who lives under the illusion that Belle is interested in her. Despite this toxic behavior, Belle should have addressed this issue herself directly, instead of allowing someone else to fight for her. The Beast, on the other hand, has a pattern of anger issues that lead him to abusive behavior, such as locking Belle away in a cell. Despite the Beast, “redeeming himself” —this teaches youth that violence is the answer to conflict resolution and that bad behavior can be excused.
This graphic is a chart of gender dialogue from a variety of films. Blue represents the percentage of Male words; Red represents the percentage of Female words.
2. Women are Problem-Solvers
In any film, there needs to be a leader. Leaders make decisions and strategize—which are skills you hardly ever see a female character demonstrate—at least in movies that don’t pass the Bechdel test. To continue the Disney Princess theme, take the classic Grimm story, Rapunzel. Rapunzel is trapped in a tall tower by an evil witch, and only gains “freedom,” when a Prince climbs her hair to visit her. However, despite the love they gain, Rapunzel still remains trapped in the tower. If Rapunzel, or any Disney Princess for that matter, was resourceful, and thought of ways to escape their situations, they wouldn’t have to rely on someone else to do the saving.
3. Women are Independent
The “damsel in distress” stereotype is present in countless movies throughout time. The “damsel in distress” concept reinforces the idea that women are powerless and must be ‘saved’ by a man in order to achieve happiness. For example, Jasmine from Aladdin must marry a Prince, Aurora, from Sleeping Beauty must be kissed to wake up, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid has to give up her voice in order to become human. This stereotype teaches young girls to be codependent and reliant on others, instead of seeking their own independence and freedom.
Any form of multimedia that does not pass the Bechdel Test is toxic to our culture. Disney Princess movies are a prime example of the problematic lessons taught to young girls and boys. Regardless of what people see on screen, women are powerful, independent thought leaders.