--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My whole theory about why I couldn’t find…" description: "\"My whole theory about why I couldn’t find any creators who realized they were leaving out female characters is because they were raised on the same rat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/geena-davis-2583_character_my-whole-theory-about-why-i-couldn-t-fin_1391400.jpg" --- # My whole theory about why I couldn’t find any creators who… ![“My whole theory about why I couldn’t find any creators who realized they were leaving out female characters is because they were raised on the same ratio. I just heard someone the other day call it either ‘smurfing’ a movie, which is when there’s one female character, or ‘minioning’ a movie, which…” quote by Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/geena-davis-2583_character_my-whole-theory-about-why-i-couldn-t-fin_1391400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/geena-davis-2583_character_my-whole-theory-about-why-i-couldn-t-fin_1391400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/geena-davis-2583_character_my-whole-theory-about-why-i-couldn-t-fin_1391400.jpg) > “My whole theory about why I couldn’t find any creators who realized they were leaving out female characters is because they were raised on the same ratio. I just heard someone the other day call it either ‘smurfing’ a movie, which is when there’s one female character, or ‘minioning’ a movie, which is when there’s no female characters.” [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suggests that the scarcity of female characters stems from creators being exposed to the same gender‑ratio norms, using terms like “smurfing” and “minioning” to describe films with few or no women. **In simple terms:** Female underrepresentation is a learned bias from industry norms. Key Takeaway Challenge and gender bias in media creation. Themes gender equity media representation bias industry norms Mood critical motivational Type analytical activist When to use this quote - film production - scriptwriting - casting decisions - media criticism Key Concepts representation bias social learning Questions to Reflect On - How can creators break the learned ratio bias? - What steps can industry enforce balanced representation? A Different Perspective The terms may oversimplify complex casting decisions and ignore other factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Female character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-character/) [Female characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-characters/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) ## Related quotes > [The ratio of male to female characters in movies has been exactly the same since 1946. So if you've ever had people say, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/the-ratio-of-male-to-female-characters-in-movies-has-been-exactly-the/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I don't think male characters are as one-dimensional as female characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-don-t-think-male-characters-are-as-one-dimensional-as-female/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I always want a challenge. My whole career has been based on trying to avoid female characters that don't get to do anything. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-always-want-a-challenge-my-whole-career-has-been-based-on-trying-to/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [The creators of kids' media had no idea they were leaving out that many female characters. They were in utter shock that the worlds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/the-creators-of-kids-media-had-no-idea-they-were-leaving-out-that/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [So many female characters are the girlfriend of the person having the adventure. I want to play baseball, I don't want to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/so-many-female-characters-are-the-girlfriend-of-the-person-having-the/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Any movie you see, if Tom Cruise is in an action movie or whatever it is, The Avengers, there's going to be a kick-ass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/any-movie-you-see-if-tom-cruise-is-in-an-action-movie-or-whatever-it/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Because I had some roles that resonated with women, I immediately noticed that there were far more male characters than female characters in what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/because-i-had-some-roles-that-resonated-with-women-i-immediately/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [We're showing kids a world that is very scantily populated with women and female characters. They should see female characters taking up half the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/we-re-showing-kids-a-world-that-is-very-scantily-populated-with-women/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [My point was the world is missing female characters. A lot of times there is one female character, maybe even a cool one, maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/my-point-was-the-world-is-missing-female-characters-a-lot-of-times/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [My daughter was a toddler. I had no idea there was anything wrong with kids' media.I started watching little preschool shows with her or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/my-daughter-was-a-toddler-i-had-no-idea-there-was-anything-wrong-with/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [This is really funny, but we did a study of the occupations of female characters on TV, and there are so many female forensic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/this-is-really-funny-but-we-did-a-study-of-the-occupations-of-female/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I just started asking my friends if they had noticed. None of them - feminists, mothers, daughters - noticed until I pointed it out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-just-started-asking-my-friends-if-they-had-noticed-none-of-them/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Women are half the population of the world, and yet there are so few female characters on-screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/women-are-half-the-population-of-the-world-and-yet-there-are-so-few/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I immediately noticed there were far more male characters than female characters in the programs, even now, in the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-immediately-noticed-there-were-far-more-male-characters-than-female/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) ## More by Geena Davis > [In advertisements for your favorite products, are women denigrated or objectified in some way? All of that is important. I would rewrite my kids'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/in-advertisements-for-your-favorite-products-are-women-denigrated-or/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Women are in many ways second-class citizens in the United States in 2016, because of the way that we're portrayed in popular culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/women-are-in-many-ways-second-class-citizens-in-the-united-states-in/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Rosie knows how to play ball. She's an athlete, for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/rosie-knows-how-to-play-ball-she-s-an-athlete-for-sure/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I'm very competitive, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-m-very-competitive-i-think/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Film roles really did start to dry up when I got into my 40s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/film-roles-really-did-start-to-dry-up-when-i-got-into-my-40s/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [You can't snap your fingers, and suddenly half of Congress is women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/you-can-t-snap-your-fingers-and-suddenly-half-of-congress-is-women/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [On film, you can't do it over again. And you do have to stop shooting at a certain point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/on-film-you-can-t-do-it-over-again-and-you-do-have-to-stop-shooting/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I remember when 'A League of Their Own' was coming out in '92, when I was doing interviews, it seemed like every interviewer at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-remember-when-a-league-of-their-own-was-coming-out-in-92-when-i-was/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [Behind the cameras, there's a different problem, which I think is not unconscious gender bias. It's probably categorized more as conscious gender bias. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/behind-the-cameras-there-s-a-different-problem-which-i-think-is-not/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I was so tall in high school that I was convinced that I was uncoordinated and not athletic. I was terrified to play any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-was-so-tall-in-high-school-that-i-was-convinced-that-i-was/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [We all know the huge problem there is with entertainment in general leaving out women. Especially as actors, we know there are fewer great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/we-all-know-the-huge-problem-there-is-with-entertainment-in-general/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [ That's the really frustrating thing, but also the fixable thing. My theory why no one notices is that that's the \[women's roles\] ratio thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/that-s-the-really-frustrating-thing-but-also-the-fixable-thing-my/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I watch very little television, actually. There's so many shows I want to watch and then I know I'll get hooked and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-watch-very-little-television-actually-there-s-so-many-shows-i-want/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [I never intended to become a data head. I could never have predicted it would play such an important role in my life. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/i-never-intended-to-become-a-data-head-i-could-never-have-predicted/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [They called and said, "I know we're not supposed to even tell you, but you've been offered to play the President." And I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/they-called-and-said-i-know-we-re-not-supposed-to-even-tell-you-but/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) [Explore all 159 Geena Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My whole theory about why I couldn’t find any creators who realized they were leaving out female characters is because they were raised on the same ratio. 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