Bechdel Testing

It's happened yet again, my dear friends (and associates). I've reached another block in my creative writing, so I decided to turn to my younger self for inspiration. Back when I had no problem inspiring myself, seventeen year old Charles wrote a stage play inspired by Shawn Carter's Heart of the City. It was called Heart of the City, because originality. However, I noticed something disturbing. Of the three female characters, none of them lived for themselves. They all had a love interest. Worst yet, I purposely made a scene for the women to shine, and they talked about their relationships the entire time.

I can't blame myself too much, though I will. Gender politics were but a blip on the radar in 2006/2007, let alone to a high school student questioning his sexuality at an all boys institution. Though I was becoming more comfortable with homosexuality, I wasn't ready to represent it in my work. Apparently this meant stripping women of their independence as well. Even the one strong female character that starts off questioning male leadership eventually succumbs to her interest in a friend. Obviously this isn't to say women shouldn't have relationship in media, but it shouldn't be their sole purpose. Besides that, I think teenage Charles was on the right track. Oddly enough, it felt like a Boondocks/Tyler Perry joint venture. That would be fun to watch.

I'd like to think I've become more conscious of the issues of the world and work towards representing everyone in my work, but I've come to realize I still focus on men in my writing. Of course women are present and play a major role while passing the Bechdel Test, but besides a handful of college short stories, I haven't even thought about using a woman as the protagonist. Lesbian best friend, sure, but rarely the hero. I want to blame it on gay-man-vanity, but I think it may be deeper than that.

I question if I respect women like I think I do. I must, because I've allowed my growing feministic ways to dissuade me from rap songs I loved as a child. But then why don't I feature them more in my work? It's almost fair to say that beside my time in high school, women have comprised most of my friends - often being the friends I'm closest with.

My only solace is that I stray away from female protagonist because I don't fully understand their struggles or how they think. I've been learning about their sexual experiences and relationships and menstrual cycles. Though, I have to admit, I may have been listening to them more like a white journalist focused on an exposé in a predominantly black neighborhood than a friend. Damn subconscious and your ulterior motives.

As a man, I shall continue to apologize for being the worst while making strides to better represent and relate to my sisters in humanity. May the Bechdel Test succeed in improving the passing percentage in Hollywood, by Susan B Anthony's glasses! ...that's what we're supposed to shout, right?*


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*NEXT TIME ON CHARLES APOLOGIZES TO WOMEN: black and white feminism. Are we really all in this together? With Special Guest Leslie Jones!**

**Leslie Jones, the guy down the street. Not the hilarious SNL cast member. What, Leslie can be a man's name too?!