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Fagbug - College student turns anti-gay graffiti into activismI think this is a great story and well worth sharing/discussing. From Towleroad: http://www.towleroad.com/2007/05/sage_student_er.html Sage Student Erin Davies Turns Hate into Tolerance Campaign Erin Davies, a student at Sage College in New York, was targeted by anti-gay vandals when her VW Beetle was sprayed with the words "U R gay" and fag" in mid-April, most likely because the vehicle has a rainbow sticker affixed to its bumper. The incident occurred on the national "Day of Silence" in which students across the country use silence as a means to bringing awareness to intolerance and homophobia. Instead of having the car cleaned up, Davies says she plans to use it to spread a message of tolerance and take it on a cross-country trip this summer with the hateful messages still emblazoned across its windows. She told Capital News 9, "I'm sure I'm not the first person this has happened to, but I might be the first person who has been okay driving it around, putting it out there and letting people become more aware of it and decide, you know, how do we stop this from happening?" Davies has started a website called FagBug to chronicle her activism. She says she plans to have people attach "FagBug" stickers to her VW as she travels across country. On Monday, students at Sage college held a rally to support Davies. She told the Troy Record, "I came out 12 years ago, so this isn't news to me. But even as I drove through my neighborhood in the rental car, I was stopped by friends and acquaintances and asked what I planned to do next. I want to make this visible so people can see that hate crimes still happen." Full story and more information here: http://www.fagbug.com/ I don't think I'd have the courage to do what she's doing. The word "fag" still makes me want to crawl into a hole and blush to death with embarrassment and shame, which I know is the wrong reaction but I can't help it. Anyway, just wondering everyone else's thoughts are regarding this. Do you think she's doing the right thing? What would you do? Submitted by Koma, Moderator (10197 posts) on May 31, 2007 - 12:19pm. |
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Applaud her
It takes a lot of guts to do that. I don't even really know what to say. I love when people take something that's supposed to cause them pain and anguish and use it to draw strength from and not everyone can do that.
Me, I don't know if I could do that. If i could be that dedicated. I guess someone has to tho if we all sit aind wait for everyone else to accomplish something for change, nothing is ever gonna get accomplished.
It's hard to stand up especially when standing up means you could be possibly put in harms way. This really makes me think about how far do we have to go to see change?
~They call me the Remedy, not talkin curing colds, but I can heal ya body in jus one stroke~
That and $3.00
I just ordered my very own Fagbug sticker. Hopefully it will buy her a tank of gas and get her campaign that much further down the road.
Brava Erin!
that's one brave person
that's SO cool. i think she's doing the right thing. and LOGO should make her roadtrip into a documentary!!!
"didn't i throw you out of a window? " - jessica/nikki, heroes
Great idea!
that's SO cool. i think she's doing the right thing. and LOGO should make her roadtrip into a documentary!!!
"didn't i throw you out of a window? " - jessica/nikki, heroes
I think it is a great idea that someone documents what she goes thru every day as she drives this car that's been defaced - as well as her trips to Pride events and whoever else requests an appearance from her. She does mention something about a documentary at her site - but I don't think anyone is catching what she has to go thru every day as she does the simple things like go to work and go to the bank.
I wish she had more of a support system of people to travel with her - she is brave and taking a lot on - and I don't want to see her get hurt by some cowards.
exposing Hate as a tool for activism
Rock on!!!
I think that's fabulous. I would be willing to do that. I've been out for about 22 years now. All the names have really lost their sting for me. However, I don't know that I would've thought of that. Also, I really can't pick up and travel like that anymore. That's the rub, when you finally get to the point where you have the self-comfort to do something like that, you rarely have the opportunity or fresh perspective to think of it.
Good for her. I hope it turns out to have the effect she hoped.
"I'm a psych major, that means I'm qualified to go, 'Hmmmm'."-Riley: BTVS
FagBug- So Cool
I just attended one of her talks today, and it was just unbelievable the stories she had to tell about her tour. So many people were so encouraging to her, while at the same time she had to deal with her share of haters- both from surprising sources.
she was also very nice, she lost her voice, but she was so apologetic about it, when really we were just glad to have her.
The site isn't working for
The site isn't working for me at the moment, but I am glad this was posted because it's great to see people taking negative experiences and turning them into something all of us can be proud of.
FYI, I have taken to referring to lesbians as 'fagettes' ... my gay friends and I feel that by taking ownership of the name, it's something we can be proud of. Not unlike the word "dyke" many moons ago was an insult, but now many of us wear it with pride.
Great idea, but carefully!
Good for her for not being intimidated and finding a creative way to vent her frustration and hurt.
The only thing I’d say is that she has to be careful where she drives thru as some places won’t be as hospitable as others.
Its one thing staging an active protest when surrounded by a lot of people, but it’s very different literally driving one self ‘straight’ into danger.
I hope she stays safe and has a great summer spreading the word, and it doesn’t really matter what word she uses. It’s all in the tone of voice and we have reached the point that we are free to give whichever tone we want to any word.today
I just posted this on another thread about fagbug but...
I came on AE today just to post something about this. Today at my college, Russell Sage, Erin held a unvieling of the new paint job for the fagbug making it one giant rainbow. There was a march and thank yous; a kind of accumulation of this past year. I am a student at Sage and was here when everything started last year but didnt go to the first march. A lot has changed since then and Im glad that I got to partake in today's events. I think its awesome that Erin had the guts to do what she has done and I wish her the best of luck in the future. Yay Fagbug and yay Erin!What a great role model. I'd