In 1985, comic-book writer Allison Bechdel proposed a test to assess films for gender bias. Nearly 30 years later, the test is officially in use for the first time.
To pass – and gain – a Bechdel A-rating, films must have at least two female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. It comes as a shock to learn that of the 10 highest-grossing films of all time, only three score a pass.
