I immediately thought about Iron Man, which we saw last night and greatly enjoyed – and of course it fails the test. So does basically every single film made in Hollywood: the only exceptions that come to mind are Sex and the City (which I haven't seen yet, but I presume they talk about anal beads or something other than Mr. Big at least sometimes), The Hours, Mamma Mia!, and maybe Notes on a Scandal... and I'm done – as far as I know, that's it.
- Does it have at least two women in it,
- Who [at some point] talk to each other,
- About something besides a man.
Alison Bechdel's blog features the 1985 cartoon where The Rule entered the mass consciousness, and explains the origin. I've been a big fan of Dykes To Watch Out For since I was just a wee budding queer, reading Southern Voice (the "Lesbian Home Journal" on actual newsprint) and scratching my head over Mo (who irritated me greatly). Bechdel has always stayed on my mind over the years, her characters sticking to me even more than Ethan Green (which became a movie?!?) and Hothead Paisan. Bechdel's Fun Home was also a fantastic read.
But back to the subject at hand. Stross continues:
From now on I intend to start applying this test to my fiction before I embarrass myself in public. And (I realize this is offering up a huge hostage to future fortune) if anyone ever offers me a movie or TV deal, I am going to hold out for a clause in the contract requiring a scene lasting at least 30 seconds per hour of running time that passes Bechdel's test. Because? What hurts my fellow humans hurts me, and I can in conscience no more lend my implicit support to an anti-feminist backlash than I can lend my silence to a racist or homophobic campaign.What a guy. Not only do I greatly enjoy his books, I think he's a swell person, and I think his response to Bechdel's Law is a very good idea. Maybe this could spread to other authors? Hel-lo, writing workshops everywhere?
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