The Bechdel test

The Bechdel test asks if a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. Several variants of the test have been proposed—for example, that the two women must be named characters, or that there must be at least a total of 60 seconds of conversation.

Originally conceived for evaluating films, the Bechdel test is now used as an indicator of gender bias in all forms of fiction. Critics have noted that the test is most informative when applied in the aggregate, because individual works may pass or fail the test for reasons unrelated to sexism.

The test is named after the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. In 1985, she had a character in a 1985 comie strip titled "The Rule", says that she only watches a movie if it satisfies the following requirements:
 * 1) It has to have at least two women in it,
 * 2) who talk to each other,
 * 3) about something besides a man.