As part of ongoing coverage of women in U.S. statehouses, reporters Kim Kruesi and Claire Rush examined how state capitol buildings either welcome or exclude women — starting with something as basic as a bathroom.
A striking detail from Tennessee, where the women’s restroom near the legislative chambers is essentially a cubby under the stairs, led to a broader story exploring the long history of women’s bathroom access in statehouses and a current building project in Kentucky aimed at achieving “potty parity.” The resulting piece spotlighted the accommodations women lawmakers and staffers have had to make for decades — ones their male counterparts haven’t.
Dylan Lovan’s photos and video illustrated the circuitous route women must take to access a restroom in Kentucky’s state Capitol, while George Walker’s photo captured the now-viral “Harry Potter” bathroom tucked beneath a stairwell in Tennessee.
For their creative lens on infrastructure and equity in American politics, Kruesi, Rush, Lovan and Walker highlight how small design choices reflect larger issues of representation.
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