Q: What's the origin of the "I'd rather be a rebel than a slave" line that stirred up some controversy recently?
Abi Morgan: It's from a speech that Emmeline Pankhurst made. Certainly, the concept of slavery was something that Mrs. Pankhurst was aware of, but "rebel" had a very different connotation in the UK. Taken out of context and put on a T-shirt it has incited much discourse. What's been really important is that we don't shy away from the conversation. There is a sense that because there are no women of color in this film then it should not be seen, but Sarah and I absolutely advocate for diversity in front of and behind the camera, and the film is ultimately at its heart promoting equality for all women. But there are going to be sensitivities around the subject, and they're worth talking about.
Q: Why did you decide to focus on the lower-class workers in that one washing house?
Abi Morgan: Having done quite a lot of research on Charles Dickens and the East End during the 1860s [for "Invisible Woman"], I thought, gosh, forty, fifty years on things have not changed that much. There was still a huge level of poverty, a huge level of sexual abuse, and although the Education Act had been passed there were still girls who weren't being properly educated -- all of these issues felt very pertinent specifically to the working-class woman, who when she was arrested couldn't bail herself and when she was incarcerated invariably had a job she would lose. What was fascinating about the movement was that it brought together several classes, and that's what our film focuses on.
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