The Bechdel, Russo, and Race Test

White God passes the Bechdel test but does not pass either the Russo or race test.

White God passes the Bechdel test because of the few occasions where women do talk to each other, there are two instances where both of the women who are speaking to each other have names and they do not mention men (e.g., Lili [Zsófia Psotta] and a named female bandmate talk to each other on two separate occasions about Lili’s dog and about whether Lili is alright).

As the Russo and race test, White God comes nowhere close to passing either of these tests, and the film does not pass these tests because there are no LGBTI or non-White characters in the film.

*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 film 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 film 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 film. 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 film.