Women's & Gender Studies

"The test was popularized by Alison Bechdel's comic, Dykes to Watch Out For; it's a way of evaluating whether or not a film or other work of fiction portrays women in a way that is sexist or characterized by gender stereotyping. To pass the Bechdel test a work must feature at least two women, these women must talk to each other, and their conversation must concern something other than a man."

Some of the Center's latest research studies:
Indie Women: Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women in U.S. Independent Film, 2022-23
Living Archive: The Celluloid Ceiling Documenting 25 Years of Women’s Employment in U.S. Films Report
Streaming Women: Representation and Employment in Original U.S. Films Released by Streaming Services in 2022

"Named for prominent Dorothys, this database collects production details for films and television programs mainly produced since 2010. Projects directed or created by women and key topics in gender and women's studies are central to this expanding resource curated for diversity. Updated regularly, Dorothy incorporates comprehensive options for researching documentaries, dramas and comedies, television shows, and educational films."

Evolving from the analysis of representations of women in film, feminist film theory asks questions about identity, sexuality, and the politics of spectatorship. This reading list surveys a dozen articles, presented chronologically, as a starting point for readers interested in the lines of inquiry that have fueled the field over the last fifty years.

One of the top global research-based organizations, the Institute provides research, direct guidance and thought leadership aimed at increasing representation of marginalized groups within six identities: gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, disability, age, and body type.