Trailer
For close to two centuries, female Representatives and Senators were exiled by exclusionary architecture.
The Ciesla Foundation returns to finishing Pissed Off in 2024, as women’s rights continue to be challenged. This short film explores the under-publicized struggles faced by female lawmakers in Congress who advocated for equal access to restroom facilities in their place of work, the United States Capitol. From its inception, Congress excluded women, both in participation and plumbing. The misogyny faced by women in government is a story that can be told through their fight to install a simple bathroom.
Documenting the history of potty parity in the halls of Congress will shine light on the continuous fight for gender equality. This film has relevance in the wake of major victories and losses for the women’s movement. This can be seen with the inauguration of the first female Vice President and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. While focusing on women in politics, the film will speak to the broader experience of women in male dominated spaces and exclusionary architecture.
Our film aims to illustrate the progress of women’s rights in Congress. The fight for something as essential as a toilet holds humor in its absurdity, creating a perfect premise to discuss the history of women in politics. In order for Pissed Off to be completed, we are asking for you to consider making a contribution. We need your support to help tell the story of how women in Congress sought and achieved potty parity in their workplace.
