The film and the actual Fagbug will be seen in its 49th State in early May, 2013, en route to its 50th!
Kihei, Hawaii, May 1, 2013
Documentary filmmaker, Erin Davies, created a chronicle of her trip across the country after her VW Bug was tagged by someone who spray-painted ‘fag’ and ‘u r gay’ because she had a rainbow sticker in the back window. As an effort to stand up to the ‘bullying’, Erin left the graffiti on the car and toured the US & Canada, filming the experience. The result is an award winning documentary that has been seen by hundreds of students and adults in the 48 contiguous states, entitled ‘Fagbug’.
Erin, in conjunction with the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort and the Maui Pride Organization, is now bringing the movie and the car to the 49th, non-contiguous state, Hawaii, as part of an effort to carry this powerful message to all 50 US states.
The ‘fagbug’ will arrive on Maui in early May, 2013 and will be parked in front of the Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort, 551 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI from May 9-14th for photo opportunities for hotel guests, students, visitors and interested members of the community.
The ‘fagbug’ will also be parked in front of the Historic Iao Theater, 68 North Market St, Wailuku, HI, while the documentary airs inside at 6:30 pm on Friday, May 10th, 2013. The screening will be a fundraiser that benefits the Maui Pride Organization. Erin Davies will also speak at the screening and will be present for a short Q&A afterward.
For more information or tickets to the screening, please visit mauipride.org
About Fagbug Documentary (83 minutes), Erin Davies and the Fagbug
The mission of Fagbug is to raise awareness about hate crimes and homophobia, to give a voice for those who are silent, to inspire others to take a stand against bullies and to be an example of how to overcome obstacles in bringing creative projects to life.
On the 11th Annual National Day of Silence, Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, New York. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin’s car was vandalized, left with the words “fag” and “u r gay” placed on the driver’s side window and hood of her car. Despite initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened by leaving the graffiti on her car. She took her car, now known worldwide as the “fagbug,” on a 58-day trip around the United States and Canada. Along the way, Erin discovered other, more serious hate crimes, had people attempt to remove the graffiti, and experimented with having a male drive her car. After driving the fagbug for one year, Erin decided to give her car a makeover with a new coat that even more prominently displays the rainbow flag colors on the vehicle.
For more information about the car, the documentary or Erin Davies, please visit Fagbug.com
About Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort
The Maui Sunseeker welcomes all, but caters primarily to the LGBT clientele. This landmark property is easily identified on the shore of North Kihei by the rainbow flag, which has come to represent the LGBT community, flying prominently in the front lawn. While the current business model of the Maui Sunseeker has been in existence since 2004, the hotel has a rich history steeped in a constant battle for equality and community pride as well as a strong symbol of non-discrimination and firm support of diversity.
The current owner, Chuck Spence, has grown the resort to 26 guest rooms on a one acre complex located right on Kihei’s north shore. The last of 5 buildings involved in the expansion is about to undergo renovation construction with plans to include a café, scheduled to open in 2014.
The hotel and its staff and owner have all been recently featured in an episode of the reality TV show, Hotel Impossible, which premiered in December of 2012.
The Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort is located at 551 South Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753. For more information, please visit MauiSunseeker.com
About Maui Pride Organization
The Maui Pride Organization mission is to encourage, celebrate, and educate all people of the positive diversity of the LGBTQ community on Maui, while respecting and working with the local Hawaiian people and cultures. Maui Pride does host an LGBTQ Pride event every year on the first weekend in October, but does not just focus on pride weekend itself. Maui Pride also supports the community and organizations that share its same goals. Maui Pride also raises money for and administers college scholarship funds which support and educate our community.
For more information about the Maui Pride Organization, please visit MauiPride.org
Contacts:
Chuck Spence, Owner, Maui Sunseeker Resort
Email: chuck@mauisunseeker.com
Cell: 1-917-825-4205
Bob Kincaid, Chair, Maui Pride Organization
Email: mauiprideorg@gmail.com
Cell: 1-808-446-0549
Erin Davies, Documentary Filmmaker, Fagbug
(As Erin is en route to Maui and currently driving cross country, it is easiest to contact Erin through Chuck Spence at the above contact information)
