Name: Erin Davies
Age: 29
Hometown: Albany, New York
 
Earlier this year, vandals tagged Erin Davies’ silver Volkswagen Beetle with the words, “U R Gay” and the word “Fag.” The Albany, N.Y., college student had to drive around in the car for several days while her insurance company processed her claim.
 
At first it was humiliating. But as strangers asked her what happened and she explained, she found an opportunity to turn the attack into a conversation. Instead of covering it up she decided to make a display of it.
 
 “The typical response would be to cover it up and pretend it never happened. But I’m not going to internalize it,” Davies said.
 
Now, she and her car are traveling across the country spreading the word about hate crimes.
 
Today, Davies sells “fag bug” bumper stickers for $5 and T-shirts for $15 to help fund her trip. Within minute of opening her booth, a crowd flocks to her. Some offer her hugs; others slip money into her donation jar.
 
Davies’ says on her Web site that she hopes to convince 1 million to put the bumper stickers on their car. That would go a long way in taking the sting out the hateful word.
 
“The word is offensive and hurtful, but I wanted other people to experience the same thing,” Davies said. “We call it the ‘conversation bug.’ ”
 
 
How one woman turned a slur into triumph