I had to avert my eyes a bit while skimming the tumblr discussion because of DA2 examples but I have long felt that Bechdel is a bit too much of a sound bite. Yet, to be fair, it was originally a response to hollywood films and the vast majority of them fail Bechdel due to the horrid sexism in the movie industry. (Here's one list of Bechdel fails.)
Regarding what you say above, when I saw the women of DA challenge, the first thing I thought of writing is a mage female warden + Morrigan friendship to give more character development to Morrigan's DA:O arc. Such as story has so much potential for good discussion about religion and magic. Yet, while running through the kinds of conversations I could imagine Morrigan and a female mage warden having, I easily -- and naturally -- imagined Morrigan illustrating some of her points with examples that just happen to involve men. While that's a momentary fail of the Bechdel test, I still want to write it anyway but have the warden & Morrigan lampshade it:
Warden: "We are not here to talk about relationships that I have or have not had with other men." Morrigan: "Nor am I. I merely mentioned it to illustrate how much power the Chantry has held over your life and the lives of others. Surely this bothers you?"
no subject
I had to avert my eyes a bit while skimming the tumblr discussion because of DA2 examples but I have long felt that Bechdel is a bit too much of a sound bite. Yet, to be fair, it was originally a response to hollywood films and the vast majority of them fail Bechdel due to the horrid sexism in the movie industry. (Here's one list of Bechdel fails.)
Regarding what you say above, when I saw the women of DA challenge, the first thing I thought of writing is a mage female warden + Morrigan friendship to give more character development to Morrigan's DA:O arc. Such as story has so much potential for good discussion about religion and magic. Yet, while running through the kinds of conversations I could imagine Morrigan and a female mage warden having, I easily -- and naturally -- imagined Morrigan illustrating some of her points with examples that just happen to involve men. While that's a momentary fail of the Bechdel test, I still want to write it anyway but have the warden & Morrigan lampshade it:
Warden: "We are not here to talk about relationships that I have or have not had with other men."
Morrigan: "Nor am I. I merely mentioned it to illustrate how much power the Chantry has held over your life and the lives of others. Surely this bothers you?"