Features
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Feminist Fandom: Charlotte Hann In February the Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film found that only 12 per cent of clearly identifiable protagonists in film and television were women, and that women made up only 30 per cent of all speaking characters.
Below is just one take, and uses the established Bechdel and Mako Mori tests to assess whether a work is feminist/ representative. While these measures are subjective, and hardly all-pervasive, they can give us a basic indication. They can give us a starting point.
Unfortunately the same trends are found on and off the camera, and representation is even worse when it comes to people of colour and the LGBTIA community. There remain a myriad of problematic areas in Hollywood film production from the lack of female directors, “chick flicks” being made by men (Bridesmaids, The Devil Wears Prada, Dirty Dancing etc.)
The tests:
Sci-fi and fantasy films, series and books are no exception, and many of our favourite fandoms have problems. Women and people of colour are constantly underrepresented and stereotyped, and queer characters are rarely given importance. Whether it’s depictions of the gay best friend or the racial stereotypes that underpin representations of “backwards peoples”, minorities and other disadvantaged groups continue to suffer from warped understandings of sexuality, masculinity, femininity and race.
The Bechdel Test: This test asks if a text has: 1. Two Female characters 2. Who talk to each other 3. About something else than a man
The Mako Mori Test: This test asks if a text has: 1. At least one female character 2. Who has her own narrative arc 3. That is not about supporting a man’s story
While there are other important tests being developed to focus on the lacking representation of race and LGBTIA characters in films (e.g. the Racial Bechdel test and the Russo test), these tests are, of course, not enough by themselves.
Star Wars:
½
Bechdel Test:
Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones pass
Mako Mori Test:
Phantom Menace and the Originals pass In both the Prequels and the Originals of Star Wars, there is only one main woman character—Padme in the prequels and Leia in the originals. Both are given the damsel treatment: Padme in Phantom Menace and Leia in A New Hope (even if she kind of takes over). Leia is an epic, well-built character who enables the Original films to pass the Mako Mori test. Padme has some character development, but after Phantom Menace, her plotline revolves around Anakin. Both Anakin’s mother and Padme are killed for Anakin’s character development (and because they must be dead for the Originals).
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Doctor Who:
Bechdel Test: Pass Mako Mori Test: Fail Doctor Who has some great female characters, the only problem is that a lot of them are “Strong Female Characters” whom director Steven Moffat seems to think are perfect if he gives them a gun. While strong female characters might seem like a good thing, SFCs often all into the category of a love interest who doesn’t like feminine things and who can fight (and does so with completely unsatisfactory armour). Of course, not every sci-fi show has an inter-species lesbian couple! And we finally got a female Master. However, the main problem is that most of the companions are obsessively in love with the Doctor (so this barely passes the Mako Mori test), and will do anything for him at whatever cost. Plus, most of the female sidekicks get unhappy endings.
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