issue 14 / volume 40

arts // 9

Under the Feminist Microscope:
Finding feminism in film

» Meet the Mo Movie Measure

P* Julia Siedlanowska
| Staff Writer

 

y jaw dropped as I recently
watched Leonardo
DiCaprio on-screen snorting
a line of coke from in-be-
tween the two mountainous
butt-cheeks of a woman in
The Wolf of Wall Street.
The film prides itself with
a lot of swearing and, more
jarringly, a lot of naked women.
T enjoyed the film for the most
part, despite having to hold my
head to keep it from exploding
with the amount of overt
chauvinism and female nudity.
The movie either demeans
women into mere sexual
objects, or forces them to take

and behaviours in order to
succeed in the business world.
I’m not sure that the unfor-
tunate ending for the protag-
onist (played by DiCaprio)
is enough to categorize the
story as a condemnation of
the male-dominated system.
This is one of the countless
films that fails to pass the
Bechdel test. Based on a 1985
comic by feminist Alison
Bechdel, Dykes to Watch Out
For, the rule is used to identify
a gender bias in a work of
fiction and is commonly used
in film. It is also referred to
as the Mo Movie Measure.
Although it isn’t a very detailed
or specific examination into
each work, the test is a simple
way to bring attention to the
lack of well-developed female

: characters in drama and the

: general sexism in the TV and

: film industry. In order to pass
: the test, a film must meet the

: following three requirements:

: 1. It must have at least

: two women init...

: 2... who talk to each other...
: 3. ... about something

: other thana man.

Which makes it all the
: more sad is how many
: films don’t make the cut.

: dramas like my latest favourite,
: Orange is the New Black, feature
: filmmakers who are pushing

: the boundaries for women.

: Created, written, and produced
: by Jenji Kohan—a woman—

: Orange is the New Blackisa

on severely male characteristics :
: challenges heteronormative
: and gender bias television.

: will be reviewed “under the

: feminist microscope,” so to

: speak, in this weekly column.

: Ina world that is largely

: indifferent to gender inequality
: within the arts, there needs to

: bea voice that challenges and

: critiques. This new column is

: an examination of the inherent
: and sometimes sneaky gender

: bias in film, television, theatre,

: literature, music, and anything
: falling into the category of the

: arts. My goal is to celebrate

: works that celebrate women—

: and challenge the works that

: don't. Inequality is something

: we need to get upset about.

: Feel free to argue with us at any
: point. In fact, we encourage it.

Sounds simple, right?

But allis not so bleak. TV

 

drama that excites, grips, and

This show and many others

 

 

Orange is the New Black (top), Parks and Recreation (middle), Girls (bottom) // Netflix/NBC/HBO