Drivers coming into Winston-Salem from Kernersville on Business 40 have been greeted by a billboard with a message that some residents think is a slam on gender equity.
It's not the visual element that's getting attention. There are no graphics, it's just black letters on a white background. The message reads: “Real men provide. Real women appreciate it.”
But this simple sign has provoked some complicated responses. Molly Grace, a Winston-Salem boutique owner, says when she first heard about it, she drove to it to see for herself, then got out of her car and spent 20 minutes sitting under the sign.
She says she's concerned that the billboard has sent an antiquated message to women and girls that they should not speak up or ask for more.
“To me, I see that billboard and people rallying to support it as people wishing it was a little bit more like the olden days, annoyed that it's not, and trying desperately holding on to what is left of those olden days,” she says.
She's holding a demonstration Sunday at Merschel Plaza downtown where she says participants will be able to create their own handmade billboards to counter that message.
The billboard's owner, Whiteheart Outdoor Advertising, has not said who's behind it, saying the organization that bought the space does not want to be identified.
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