Imagine you’re driving down a major road and you keep seeing billboards full of women from the male gaze. This is what Emily Herr, a recent VCU grad, was seeing, but she decided to do something about it. She created a project called “Girls! Girls! Girls!”, with the purpose of showing how she sees women.
Emily wants to change the way women are represented by putting murals all around Richmond. She asked women on Facebook to send her pictures of themselves and other women they love.
It is important for everyone to see women represented, all types of women. Emily wants to shine a light on every type women and the different ways they are inspirational and beautiful.
She uses a black background and neon colors for the actual women, with the words “Girls! Girls! Girls!” as the main focal point. According to her website, she wanted to use the words “Girls! Girls! Girls!” and neon colors to play on the misogynistic way they are usually used. Those elements are usually associated with strip clubs, but she wanted to make them empowering instead of demeaning.
Recently Emily and her friend Sarah Apple, who works at Lucky Sign RVA, bought a truck to bring “Girls! Girls! Girls!” on the road. They are going to be traveling up the coast to spread their message and add empowering murals.
She also does commission work. You can see more of her work at her website.
By: Maggie Brown
Women Empowering Women 
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