ABOUT
Intersectional feminism benefits everyone.
What We Are
Bechdel Project is a non-profit feminist arts incubator that marries art, activism, and education to dismantle the systems of oppression which bar any woman from the equity needed to achieve equality.
Creatively, we develop stories for the stage and screen that pass the Bechdel Test* because we believe that the stories we tell have the power to shape our future. We desperately need a different future. We need to create an inspiring future for women. We need to see and hear women!
But what about the stories we're currently living everyday through our own circumstances, actions and beliefs?
This is why advocacy and allyship are crucial pillars in our company. We engage and advocate for our community through resource sharing, fiscal sponsorship, upholding intersectional feminist business practices and utilizing privilege to protect and demand equity for all women.
We also believe that systemic change can not happen without education and honest dialogue to remove the veil of ignorance and/or willful blindness. We do this through teaching workshops and residencies as well as by hosting consciousness-raising events.
If you are as passionate about these issues as we are, we hope you'll join us in our efforts to create lasting change. Learn about ways to support here!
*What is the Bechdel Test?
Bechdel Project's name comes from what is popularly known as the "The Bechdel Test" based on Alison Bechdel's** 1985 comic strip "The Rule" in "Dykes to Watch Out For." Shockingly, there are only three criteria to pass the Bechdel Test:
The story must have at least 2 women.
They must talk to each other.
About something besides a man.
**Ms. Bechdel is not personally involved in the organization in any way.
Who We Are
Maria Aparo
(she/her)
Maria Aparo is a queer feminist, multidisciplinary artist, producer, former sex worker, activist, and mother. Renowned for her groundbreaking projects that defy expectations, Maria fearlessly blurs the line between art and life while challenging societal norms. With a decade of experience in producing and theater management, Maria brings a wealth of expertise to Bechdel Project.
Lucy Flournoy
(she/her)
Lucy works internationally as a theatremaker, physical theater artist, dancer and choreographer. Flournoy is a co-founder and co-artistic director of the physical theater company HUFFSTREET Theatre Co. and is Chair of the Board of the Physical Theater Network, e.V. in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. www.LucyFlournoy.com
Jens Rasmussen
(he/they)
Jens is an award-winning artist, activist, and co-founder of Bechdel Project who focuses on devised and ensemble-built work across multiple mediums. When not busy in Brooklyn, he enjoys teaching movement and playmaking at universities across the country. www.jensrasmussen.info
Where We Are
Bechdel Project's studio spaces are located on the unceded lands of the Lanape people. We recognize that we benefit from the ongoing legacies of colonialism and white supremacy, even as we work to dismantle those systems. We are committed to uplifting BIPOC voices, respecting traditional lands, and working with communities towards reconciliation.