Subcultural #HERStory matters. I thought I’d share just a slice of the #graffitigrrl herstory I share in my book for Women’s History Month.
The first all-grrl graffiti crew in the US was called “Ladies of the Arts,” started by Lady PInk around 1980 in NYC. About a decade later, ClawMoney and Miss17 took the scene as PMS.
The first international all-grrl graffiti crew was founded in 2003, the Stick Up Girlz Crew hailed from #NewZealand, #Spain, #Portugal, #Japan,
and #Australia. Members were Fluro, Oche, Lady Diva, Sax, Eire Gata, Rafi, Shiro, and Spice.
Other all-grrl crews include: Altona Female Crew of Germany (1997), Bandit Queenz of Australia (1999), Crazis Crew of Chile (2000), Girls on Top of England (2000), Bitches in Control of the Netherlands (2003), and Transgressão Para Mulheres of Brazil in 2004
In 2005, an unknown #graffitigrrl launched the now defunct but at the time wildly popular website GraffGirlz.com, the first website by grrlz for grrlz and about grrlz.
Also in 2005, Foxy Lady of the Netherlands launched the ezine “Catfight,” which she described as “filled head to toe with the meanest cleanest female graff and streetworks that we could get our hands on.”
In 2008, Joske of Australia launched the first Ladie Killerz Paint Jam and it still annually!
Also in 2008, a graffiti grrl magazine hit the scene called “Chicks on Powertrips” out of Australia. These grrlz are the ones who gave me my favorite sticker AND inspired my book’s dedication.
In 2016, Sany of the Puff Crew in the Czech Republic premiered the
first #documentary film exclusively about #graffitigrrlz in the film festival
circuit: “Girl Power” (http://www.girlpowermovie.com/EN) You can watch the trailer here.
Also in 2016, @GraffitiHerstory took to Instagram and you should follow them! The first post was a picture of oldschool #graffitigrrl Charmin65 of the Ex Vandals!
There is SO MUCH MORE #herstory in my book, Graffiti Grrlz: performing Feminism in the Hip Hop Diaspora (@NYUpress 2018) and you can take advantage of the #WomensHistoryMonth discount code they are running! “WMN19-FM” will get you 35% off! https://nyupress.org/books/9781479895939
Jessica Nydia Pabón, Phd 