On Scream, “Betrayed,” Audrey was brought into the police station as the prime suspect for Nina’s murder and Emma found herself wondering whether Audrey really was the killer.
The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test
“Betrayed” passed the Bechdel test but did not pass the Russo or race test.
Named women talked to each other on numerous occasions in “Betrayed.” During several of these conversations men weren’t mentioned so the episode passed the Bechdel test. However, while the episode passed the Bechdel test, it did not pass any of the other diversity tests as there were no LGBTI or non-White characters in “Betrayed.”
*The Bechdel test entails three requirements:
1. It has to have at least two (named) women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
**The Vito Russo test entails three requirements:
1. The show contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender
2. The character must not be solely or predominately defined by her sexual orientation, gender identity and/or as being intersex
3.The character must be tied into the plot in such a way that her removal would have a significant effect
***The race or people of color (POC) test has three requirements:
1. It has two people of color in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something other than a White person
****Just because a show passes the Bechdel, Russo and race test does not mean that it is not sexist, heterosexist, racist and/or cissexist, etc. The Bechdel, Russo and race test is only a bare minimum qualifier for the representation of LGBTI individuals, women and people of color in television. The failure to pass these tests also does not identify whether the central character was a woman, a person of color or a LGBTQI individual and it does not dictate the quality of the show.