Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Scratchingcat — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:16:29 +0000

To pass the Bechdel test, your novel needs to have this: 1. It has to have at least two women in it (named characters) 2. Who talk to each other 3. About something besides a man Mine does.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

MrBadgerPants — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:18:38 +0000

Not yet, but so far my novel only has 4 characters with extended dialog and the two females have never met. It will in another chapter or so.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:20:25 +0000

Huh. Mine too. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

vNichols — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:23:55 +0000

Yes.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

LittleMissZilla — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:29:21 +0000

Mine does too. Last chapter my two females were talking to each other about their conflicting feelings toward Jimmy Buffett fans.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

cloister — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:45:45 +0000

Mine does, but it would be hard for it NOT to. The MC is a ten year old girl whose chief interest in her life is her horse, and the other significant female character is her mother. They never talk about boys at all, because a) she's too young to really be interested, and b) they're out on the prairie in the Nebraska Territory in 1863, and there are no other boys around to even talk about! :)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lyria2 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:56:26 +0000

Hell no. Rather like Conan The Barbarian, female characters in my fantasy novel are in short supply.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Mnemonicer — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:09:52 +0000

3/5 POV characters are women. One of them carried on quite the conversation with not one, but two other named women. Holy Comma Splice, Batman! And the conversation had little to do with men. It was actually about starting a revolution! Huzzah!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

clayholio — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:10:24 +0000

Nope. There are female characters, but the bulk of the story is about two people being stuck together, alone, and the MC is a guy. There's almost no chance of meeting those criteria, and I kind of feel like it would be pandering to jam something like that in there. Sorry, Ms. Bechdel!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Genie — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:16:42 +0000

nope...my main ones are a man and a woman...so I guess not..that's not to say this won't change when I change my setting for the next part of the book.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

kimberlycreates — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:33:04 +0000

Woo! All three of my main characters are females. They all talk to each other. And the talk to each other about things other than men! (Although they do talk about men too, because you know, there are men in the novel too who relate to the story.) I think that passes?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

KelticKitten — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:41:08 +0000

Definitely

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

LisaMDJ — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:50:25 +0000

No, which is kind of hilarious. Everything I've ever written in the past would pass with flying colors, but I randomly decided to pursue this idea I've had for years. The idea is a young adult novel with a 16-year-old male protagonist, and he's a bit isolated throughout much of the novel. He talks to female characters but none of them has talked to each other yet and probably won't.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Chautona — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:12:02 +0000

Nope. So far, my novel has 1. Older woman who talks to a young boy. 2. Family members in passing as a story is being told. Pirates on ship the whole time = no women.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

arrawyn — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:26:33 +0000

wow! mine will! it has two female characters, who will be meeting shortly, and will DEFINITELY be talking about something other than men!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:57:07 +0000

Mine is a man and a woman falling in love after knowing each other their whole lives, and a man and a man falling in love almost at first sight, during Thanksgiving dinner. And a quantity of Dean Martin. But I really don't give a, you know, about passing somebody's test. I'd rather save it to enjoy.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

mals86 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:16:58 +0000

Amen. Especially to the Dean Martin.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Scratchingcat — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:25:50 +0000

Like I said, this is just for fun. There is no wagging index finger, admonishing you for not doing so. Some novels do have female characters talking, some don't. It's just fun to see how varied we are in our approaches. *Raises Martini glass to Dean Martin.*

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Mendou — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:33:18 +0000

Amazingly, mine passes. The main character is in a military task force, and the officer in charge of her is a female psychopath. They've had many discussions which don't involve men. Normally the discussions involve orders and/or the consequences of disobeying thereof, but they're generally not about men at all.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:05:43 +0000

I think if we allow ourselves to create organically, it'll all balance out, you know? Was different in the past when only a few had the privilege of authorship; and mostly, like us, they wrote what they knew. It was just a really narrow field. As for me, well, just tryin' to have a little fun, folks. :-)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Purrabella — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:14:29 +0000

Darn, does it count if one female is unable to speak, but they communicate through signals?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Gryphon-kl — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 07:27:28 +0000

Yes. What will be the first conversation in the book once I get to the editing phase has the main character and one of her classmates talking about job-hunting problems and an infamous piloting mistake the classmate made during a simulation. (Admittedly, the classmate's only a partially named character, but there're at least two other conversations so far that also qualify.)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

yoghurtelf — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:32:27 +0000

My first novel does pass, but do they have to NEVER talk about a man or can they talk about a man AND lots of other stuff? hehe Second novel so far only has one woman!!! OMG, what shall I do about that!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

LittleMissZilla — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:54:48 +0000

DEANO!!!!! *sips Martini*

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

LittleMissZilla — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:08:08 +0000

I definitely take it with a grain of salt, it's just a bit of humor really isn't it? I certainly relate to the frustration upon seeing those movies (and many, many do exist) where women are portrayed as two-dimensional characters whose thoughts are utterly consumed with A) Fashions!!! and B) Finding that Prince Charming!!!. Ugh. If I'm forced to watch them, I ruin the experience for everyone else by loudly declaring I am just waiting for the earthquake scene where they will all be swallowed up into a gaping hole in the pavement, bitching about the asphalt staining their dresses as they tumble straight down into the abyss. ....Because I'm a dickhead. But seriously, I completely own that my friends and I often talk about the fellas in our lives (or ones who are not in our lives.....YET!) and I love a good relationship-centric book just as much as the next person. Still, I laugh at the Bechdel Test thing because I have felt the cringing discomfort when I've read books or seen films where a bunch of women are running around acting as if their lives are empty and broken because they don't have 'the right man'. I'm just like "Oh dear god please tell me the majority of people out there don't believe most women are actually LIKE this".

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:14:22 +0000

Some people take it very, very seriously, this test. And when they use the word "pass," they mean it as if it is now the standard by which every piece of writing must be judged. Forget how little sense that makes. It's A Test. You Pass or You Fail. So that's why I'm all, I get how it amuses you, but because of how it's generally applied, I want to start writing a book in which every woman has to go down on a man in order to receive her paycheck, or something. And that man is Dean Martin. kidding!!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Realmling — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:25:27 +0000

Nope, because the first one I have going involves many odd conversations between an experiment and the lab computer AI that just loves to rile her up. Computer is neither so that doesn't count. And in my other I've two women, and the friend in another city who calls quite regularly always has to work in a "so, you seeing/doing anyone yet? Go find a man dammit!" type moment into the conversation just for shits and giggles because she knows it will piss off the MFC. Is there one for men not talking about sports or women or how much more manly they are compared to each other? /wink wink nudge nudge =P

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:50:09 +0000

[quote=bibliosylph] Some people take it very, very seriously, this test. And when they use the word "pass," they mean it as if it is now the standard by which every piece of writing must be judged. [/quote] Really? Who are these people? -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:04:30 +0000

I'm on the phone now, but as I recall, in previous years there have been threads here, kinda like the lit fic area where many will ask, "I'm writing this but really there's this and so is it okay?" And discussion ensues. I've seen it in other forums over the years, so I mean, the "internet," which can be taken with a grain of salt but grows louder and louder.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:57:45 +0000

So if anyone said it on the Internet, ever, it qualifies as groupthink. Thanks for clearing that up. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lyria2 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:58:16 +0000

Communication is the important part, not the actual speaking.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lyria2 — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 19:04:22 +0000

Yes, some people take it far too seriously. Sometimes women just don't fit into the plot. Sometimes men don't. If the action takes place on a pirate ship (such as a previous poster's example), there isn't likely to be a lot of women about. If you are being at all historically accurate, that is. If your action takes place in a nunnery, you aren't going to have a lot of male characters. The problem is not that a given story does or does not have women who talk to each other about something other than a man, the problem is if that makes sense for the story. I love to see strong female characters. But I hate to see female characters that serve no purpose other than to have a female character in the mix. It's like someone is checking a box.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Heathertruett — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:29:45 +0000

Daughter and grandmother discuss family history. Mother and Daughter discuss Mom's job. That count?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:06:59 +0000

Do you really think that's what I said, in even a remotely serious sense?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:17:58 +0000

In the summer, I catch up on all the cozy mysteries. They're highly populated by women, but often, if there is romantic interest, the author tends to be poking fun at it, like, okay, here's some ust, now let's get back to the story! But there are times when it probably isn't such a great thing. People say Dorothy L Sayers was in love with her character, Lord Peter Wimsey. Well, me too, thank you, Dot, for making his blond, too much nose, not-quite-tall enough self somehow freaking perfect. But anyway. The final three books in the series she wrote were a reckoning and fruition of their relationship, mixed with the usual complicated mystery. And then that was that. I mean, she had very specific reasons for ending the series there, but the romance and marriage were the tools. Margery Allingham married off Albert Campion, then when she decided to write more stories featuring him, the little woman was conveniently off-stage. The newer authors who use female protagonists often try to involve the spouse in the detecting or give them some distinct but mundane, so they can sidestep a lot of the "why is she detecting instead of looking for a man" issue. ;-)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

MaxDyan — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:04:38 +0000

crap... nope. my MC lost his face in the first 4000 words, (whoops) and cant talk at all.. plus.. hes a guy. :)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Ann Denial — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:16:20 +0000

Got'em. Teacher and school psychologist, both women, talk to each other... and two of my dead characters who are both women talk to each other, too...

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:40:15 +0000

[quote=Lyria2] Yes, some people take it far too seriously. [/quote] For that very reason, it's too bad this thread doesn't have something in the title to tell people not to take it too seriously. Like "just for the fun of it" or something. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:55:05 +0000

I didn't realize that meant it couldn't be discussed in general. I humbly apologize.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:07:10 +0000

Are you still taking people's taking the Bechdel test too seriously too seriously? Because now it sounds like you're just being snide. Could you tell me when I can stop taking this seriously? I'm starting to get a headache. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

heavy hedonist — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:36:29 +0000

not likely. my novel is about a bar that goes through about two hundred years of patrons... when it's a gay bar, there's not alot of women there. when it's a straight bar, the chicks are talking to men, or about men, so far.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lyria2 — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:30:34 +0000

Lol! Point.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

bibliosylph — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:22:19 +0000

I never was. You just seem to want to be kind of an ass. So, whatever.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

shdwpoet2 — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:33:18 +0000

I think mine might fit the bill.... Two characters, one female, the other is male at the beginning of the story. Then it gets complicated. I don't think that they will be discussing men anytime soon.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

MrWriteon — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:00:16 +0000

I suppose mine passes. I have a set of identical twins who are female but have very different personalities. One is level headed and serious. The other one (who just won't shut up), is animated and colorful. Often sarcastic. They lost their father in a horrible farming accident and mom committed suicide . All they have are each other so they are pretty close and have chosen to forgo seeking any kind of a serious relationship in an effort to keep whats left of their family farm together. A man would only be in the way at this point.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Nessabutterfly — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:20:02 +0000

Mine totally passes. But it would not pass in reverse. Yet. Later in the story, two men do speak, about something other than a woman (kinda-- indirectly related to a woman). But that doesn't happen until about 3/4 of the way in. It's a girly fairytale-- what can you do? (Well, I did give her a fairy god-FATHER...)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Nessabutterfly — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:23:07 +0000

"women are portrayed as two-dimensional characters whose thoughts are utterly consumed with A) Fashions!!! and B) Finding that Prince Charming!!!. " Oh dear, this is my plot. Sorta. Fashion student magically transported to a fairytale world where she meets her prince charming. But then all sorts of junk happens and they have to solve a crazy mystery in order to be together. Still, it's a girly fairytale...

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:48:16 +0000

Boisterous sense of humor you've got there. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Aklo — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:34:14 +0000

My MC (who is female) has not talked to another human being yet. Does talking to herself or talking to imaginary creatures (some of which are female) count? In the stories within the story, I do have a woman explaining to her adult daughter why she treated her and her brother so badly as children (though that speech does include talking about abusive stepfathers), and the daughter talking to a female demon (and a male angel) about wether or not she should forgive her mother; and a little girl talking to witches about cutting off heads; and a woman talking to her neighbours (male and female) about their apartment being burgled (and I guess the burglar needn't be a man). I guess one of these conversations might qualify. In reverse, it would not pass.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

AKimlin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:25:39 +0000

Nope lol I have Joe's Aunts, Tim's grandmothers, Tim's bestfriend a Countess/glamour model/business woman, my antagonist and one more woman. The family and friend's roles are to get Joe and Tim out of trouble. The other woman is a barmaid that talks to Tim about his boyfriend. If I ever had two women together they are discussing about how to rescue the men in the story :)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

AnneVR — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:42:55 +0000

Queen Charlotte and my MC starts the novel by discussing a journey my MC wants to take to explore an occult phenomenon. MC's father is mentioned, but is not the main topic of the discussion. So, I pass, although the MC is the only woman in the rest of the story :-) (Unless the mage they pick up during the journey is a woman as well - haven't decided yet).

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Josie Cloos — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:17:35 +0000

I have female characters, but so far they haven't talked to each other ,and I don't know if they will. But I'm sure if they do, it will be about one or both of my mc's who are men. So I fail :(

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

snappyssidekick — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:48:53 +0000

Woo hoo! Mine passes. Love it.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Mutive — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:13:18 +0000

Only just, and as a prelude to the lesbian sex scene. In all fairness, it only really passes reverse Bechdel during the slash scene. This is deliberate.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

caocao — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:27:56 +0000

Not at all and on purpose. The book is about four super-powered brothers that have all lived in isolation for years. And while I have one female focal point character outside the four brothers, it would be pointless and strange to pull the story away from the focus of those four main players. If I continue to a second book, the female lead will become more important and I could see her in action away from the four brothers, but it just wouldn't work this time around, and I'm quite all right with that.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Jessindistress — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:31:34 +0000

Not really because the characters I'm concentrating on are dudes. It probably will, depending on what side characters come in, because none of the women in the canon are the "shoes and boys" types. While I understand the frustration of seeing every so many women just depicted as shoe-and-fashion-and-boy-crazy-dipshits, I don't think everything ever needs to pass the Bechdel test to be decent. I'm not going to critisise, say, a movie about WW1 soldiers on the battlefields for failing: it would be fair to assume that the movie isn't about women. I am going to criticise something like Tron, though, where the female characters served as little more than eyecandy beyond the token love interest/damsel in distress.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Yoda47 — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:42:46 +0000

Oh crap yes. Two women, talking about men? That'd be boring as all get out.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Aklo — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:58:05 +0000

Forgot a criterium: they have to be named. So the first dialogue doesn't count for sure, as neither the daughter, the mother or the demon girl are named. And the MC in the last story is not named either, though her neighbours are. *sighs* I find it nearly impossible to pass this test. Out of my 12 published stories, only the one set in a women's convent would pass this test, and only the one set in a men's prison would pass the reverse test. The others all got characters of both genders talking to and/or about each other (you know, like real people) or no dialogue at all. Btw, there is nothing in this test about not talking about fashion. These two women can talk about any trivial subject you can think of, just so long as they don't mention their fathers, husbands, boyfriends, son, or male friends/co-workers/neighbours/enemies. I *know* this thread was posted for fun, but the sheer stupidity of this test (and when it was posted in plot doctoring, there were people who seemed to take it very serious indeed) just pisses me of.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Shem-the-Penman — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:11:33 +0000

[quote=Jessindistress] I don't think everything ever needs to pass the Bechdel test to be decent. [/quote] I agree. And for all you assholes who say the Sun rises in the West, I got news for you too. -Shem

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Geolie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:47:34 +0000

Ha! Mine doesn't pass...and for good reason. Women very often talk about men. Big deal, it's true - AND - that is one of the reasons the cartoon strip about "the Bechdel test" is funny. But that doesn't mean all books in which women talk about men are trite drivel. In fact, that just might be the flaw - the incorrect assumption operating here. After all, if the man the women were talking about happened to be a NINJA....well, you'd have a whole different kind of book, now, wouldn't ya. ; )

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Burnt Sushi — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:23:40 +0000

Yay! I pass the test! Gwen and Robyn frequently talk to each other about things other than men. Neither is in a relationshop, nor have any desire for one, and recently were promoted. Robyn is now the Chief of Research And Development of Special Projects and Gwen, who was her personal assistant, is now Assistant Chief of Research And Development of Special Projects. Which totally help my wordcount.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

rosymamacita — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:43:11 +0000

Yes. it passes. The main character is a female and she kind of has a female sidekick. And they're stuck in a van on a road trip with a bunch of teenagers. Why? I know why they're there. I'm a little unclear about all the teenagers.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Scratchingcat — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:30:24 +0000

If I had known how many people have a serious problem with this, I hadn't posted this thread in the first place. Live and learn...

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

MrWriteon — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:16:57 +0000

Is that danger mouse?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

baka_kit — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:28:07 +0000

Mine definitely passes. My MC argues about god and gender with a female therapist, plots rebellion with a female fellow inmate, and her call for help in answered by a spaceship captain who also happens to be female. She also witnesses other women and girls having conversations. She does also think and talk about boys, and clothes. And the last scene of the book has her going shopping with her two friends. But then, she is sixteen.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

axemanrj — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:15:30 +0000

I have a few named female characters. They have spoken about men briefly, but they've also talked about monkey lizards too, does that balance it up? I blame the author, being male himself he tends not to talk about men too much!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Aklo — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:00:20 +0000

Depends on if the monkey lizards are male or female ;)

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

MikeAlx — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:16:36 +0000

Mine passes - all the most interesting characters are women, though the most interesting ones are offstage a lot (there are plot reasons for this). One of them was going to be male, but inexplicably switched gender the minute I put her in a room and set her thinking.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

VictoriaRF — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:07:07 +0000

With flying colors! [quote=Scratchingcat] 1. It has to have at least two women in it (named characters) 2. Who talk to each other 3. About something besides a man [/quote] My main character (age 30) and primary supporting character (middle aged) are both women. Their conversations tend to center around a public health crisis the main character is investigating. For that matter, my first NaNo (2 years ago) similarly passed. The main character and her best friend (both around 29-30) are women, and their conversations tend to center around the MC's struggles as a trans woman in a small conservative town and the looming disaster of three dimensions about to collide and destroy their respective Earths.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

kitsuneopal — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:58:45 +0000

Yep. The last conversation I just finished was between two of the main females about how best to approach a herd of unicorn without spooking them.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

oceansong99 — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:08:13 +0000

I actually have lots of female characters who talk to each other. Never about men, that I can think of.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

ferriswheeljunkie — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:19:05 +0000

Yes, just finished a mentorish-type conversation between my female MC and a young girl who's trying to figure out her future. Never knew there was a "test" for this. Kinda pathetic, really, that such a thing should exist.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

downwithopc — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 09:57:46 +0000

Does a man's wife telling her female friend in front of the man to take the man and wife's daughter out of the room count?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Nike Lennard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:15:36 +0000

Does it pass, if they are talking about killing men? But they have talked about sheep, the punishment of a (female) slave and the building of a salina as well - so I do think, that this will balance it.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

VirtuallyCJ — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:55:58 +0000

Yay! I pass - barely, but they do have one conversation where they discuss the MC mother!

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

girlboxer5 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:33:43 +0000

No. It's a romance, which means the female characters pretty much are on about the relationship of my FMC to either of the two males in the novel.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Mikita5510 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:05:42 +0000

nope since my is a journal type book discussing how my mc feels about depression and anxiety it does not seem to fit unless her talking about her sisters count.. but she does mention her husband

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Renalae — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:38:09 +0000

I only have one major female character. :( And I've come to realize over the course of the novel that she's the most boring person in it. Oh well. I'll have to fix that in editing. Though I do have a matriarchal society where the current High Matriarch has had a couple of political discussions with her daughter and other chieftainesses... but since they're about male political figures that they're sparring with, I suppose that doesn't make it pass the test. Complaining about a rival nation's senator is still talking about a man, right?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lady_Indis_Dress — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 03:46:19 +0000

I have many female characters. Most of them young so a lot of the conversation is about men, but there are scenes where that is not the case. I'm going to say that this year's novel passes.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

aliaswriter — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:08:12 +0000

Who is this Bechdel, and why did he create this test for me to *maybe* fail? There's a second woman, but she's a minor character. My FMC rents a house from her. Their conversation was about the house. That pass?

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Mutive — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:20:35 +0000

Mine passes, but only because of the lesbian porn.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Lady_Indis_Dress — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:44:58 +0000

I say it passes based on the critera given. I'm also thinking Bechdel is/was a woman, maybe.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Gryphon-kl — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:47:16 +0000

Alison Bechdel is the writer of the Dykes to Watch Out For comic. The rule was for pointing out gender bias in films (one of her friends supposedly wouldn't see any movie that didn't pass the test).

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Untamed Shrew — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:05:52 +0000

The one for men sounds good. I don't think it exists yet, but maybe we could call it the Realmling Test? :) Now I'll have to go back through my novels and check to see if they pass this one. They all pass the Bechdel test without my consciously trying because my female protagonists are dealing with life issues other than just romance. When romance occurs, it happens while my female MC is busy pursuing other plans. The point of the Bechdel test isn't that the women characters NEVER talk about men. The test is simply: Do the women characters EVER talk to each other about ANYTHING ELSE? That really shouldn't be such a high bar to clear. It requires exactly ONE conversation in a 90-minute movie or in an entire novel to be about ANYTHING other than men. I also see no reason why that would piss anyone off. Women actually do have other things to talk to each other about besides men (for example, work or hobbies or their own health or politics or religion or music or how the events in the movie or novel directly affect themselves,etc.). The Bechdel test merely asks that fiction acknowledge that fact from time to time. No big deal.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Untamed Shrew — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:10:04 +0000

[quote=Realmling] Is there one for men not talking about sports or women or how much more manly they are compared to each other? /wink wink nudge nudge =P [/quote]The one for men sounds good. I don't think it exists yet, but maybe we could call it the Realmling Test? :) Now I'll have to go back through my novels and check to see if they pass this one. They all pass the Bechdel test without my consciously trying because my female protagonists are dealing with life issues other than just romance. When romance occurs, it happens while my female MC is busy pursuing other plans. The point of the Bechdel test isn't that the women characters NEVER talk about men. The test is simply: Do the women characters EVER talk to each other about ANYTHING ELSE? That really shouldn't be such a high bar to clear. It requires exactly ONE conversation in a 90-minute movie or in an entire novel to be about ANYTHING other than men. I also see no reason why that would piss anyone off. Women actually do have other things to talk to each other about besides men (for example, work or hobbies or their own health or politics or religion or music or how the events in the movie or novel directly affect themselves,etc.). The Bechdel test merely asks that fiction acknowledge that fact from time to time. No big deal.

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

onesecondglance — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:39:12 +0000

Kinda hard when you only have three main characters and only one of them is a woman. On the plus side, she's not going to fall in love with either of the men. Nor they with her...

Re: Just for the fun of it: Does your novel pass the Bechdel test?

Voirey-Linger — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:40:46 +0000

My first one might kind of pass... maybe. If the second named female trying to eat the first female counts as some form of communication. I'm kinda in the "don't give a sh*t" group.