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Tekii
Joined: 27 May 2012 Posts: 258
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 7:16 pm Post subject: 2013-05-15: Bechdel Test |
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I got a good immature giggle from this one. |
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ShadowCell
Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 7395 Location: California
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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Abbott and Costello
Cheech and Chong
and now
Lusty and Peaches |
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Flavius Maximus

Joined: 07 May 2011 Posts: 1100 Location: The Wrong side of the Reality Zone Sign
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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Had to Google
I think Tat is safe  _________________ Awesome Happens |
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Adyon

Joined: 27 May 2012 Posts: 1220 Location: Behind my Cintiq
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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I interrupt for a quick announcement:
Hahahahahahaa!
That is all.  _________________
My Art |
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ktern

Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 951
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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looks like ms. justice has a rival fiction writer now |
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Homeslice

Joined: 16 Jun 2012 Posts: 435 Location: In your fridge
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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I didn't know that that was a thing.
Huh. |
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aboutwhistles

Joined: 28 Oct 2012 Posts: 140
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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<3 <3 <3
I had a hunch that the Bechdel test was why more characters were getting official names. |
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stripeypants

Joined: 24 Feb 2013 Posts: 4741 Location: Land of the Grumpuses
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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A star for effort. Not sure which color. _________________ ::lesser crisis mode::
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Onimaru

Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 627
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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As an amateur writer myself, I have to admit that a LOT of my first works suffered failing this test miserably. Actually, I'll readily admit that it's still hard at times to not make this mistake, as a man writing for female characters most times we identify them by how they interact with men, so having them act on their own or interact between themselves can be a challenge that needs to be taken seriously, or you'll fall into the trap of making uninteresting 2 dimensional female characters that only exist as a backboard to how your male characters interact with women.
That being said, Slick's 'short story' made me laugh a bit and be sad at the same time.  |
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Rune

Joined: 08 Oct 2011 Posts: 1815
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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Homeslice wrote: | I didn't know that that was a thing.
Huh. |
Yeah, basically considered a bare-minimum assessment of industry trends in general and the way women characters are written and portrayed.
This is a pretty awesome overview of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF6sAAMb4s |
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Rune

Joined: 08 Oct 2011 Posts: 1815
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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Onimaru wrote: | the trap of making uninteresting 2 dimensional female characters that only exist as a backboard to how your male characters interact with women. |
This, this, yes, this. This is exactly why the Bechdel test is a thing. |
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Flavius Maximus

Joined: 07 May 2011 Posts: 1100 Location: The Wrong side of the Reality Zone Sign
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Manually!!
 _________________ Awesome Happens |
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Maynar

Joined: 26 Jan 2011 Posts: 555 Location: Look into my eye...
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Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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 _________________ This toads the wet sprocket. |
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Leohan

Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 1793
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Arthain

Joined: 09 Feb 2013 Posts: 96
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Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 3:12 am Post subject: |
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Onimaru wrote: | As an amateur writer myself, I have to admit that a LOT of my first works suffered failing this test miserably. Actually, I'll readily admit that it's still hard at times to not make this mistake, as a man writing for female characters most times we identify them by how they interact with men, so having them act on their own or interact between themselves can be a challenge that needs to be taken seriously, or you'll fall into the trap of making uninteresting 2 dimensional female characters that only exist as a backboard to how your male characters interact with women. |
I must admit the same thing as well. I write too, my current story has over 575 pages to it, and I find it very difficult to write from the female perspective. I try, and whenever I have issues I actually call up my female cousins and ask them how they would start this conversation or go about saying that.
It helps but ultimately it boils down to how well I write the story.
The Bechdel test can be applied in various different ways and it's hard to define exactly where the test starts and ends. If there is a conversation between two women, which I have frequently in my stories, does an ENTIRE conversation have to exclude men? Or do you just need to include topics in that conversation that have nothing to do with men. Can it be a conversation about something other than men, but men can participate in it? Or does the exclusion need to be absolute?
Also is there a male version of the Bechdel test? Because there is the very real possibility that some stories don't have any male to male conversations that have nothing to do with females.
I have to disagree with the last point you made though. It IS possible to make three-dimensional characters without passing the Bechdel test. Likewise it's also still possible to making boring uninteresting two-dimensional characters while passing it with flying colors. To make good three-dimensional characters you need to work in feelings, thoughts and actions like that of a real person. You have to be able to step back and think "yes, a real life individual would do that in that situation in those circumstances." If you can't think that you need to go back and change it. Making a three-dimensional characters requires you to make a believable character.
My current story does pass it the Bechdel test. I can remember specific conversations where incredibly powerful female characters bantered with one another (In my story there's actually far more females than males and with the exception of all but one male the females are all stronger, physically and mentally). But that doesn't mean the characters are three-dimensional. I try but that's about all I can do. The more you write the better you become. |
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