UPDATE: April 4, 2013 -- Justine Curry has been selected as a finalist in the 18+ category. The panel of judges will make a decision and announce it on April 18. Thursday February 14, 2013

BENNINGTON -- When the world said, "You hit like a girl," a group of female drummers and music enthusiasts said, "you're damn right I do!"

All of across the world women with a passion for percussion are picking up their drumsticks and turning on their webcams for the second annual Hit Like a Girl contest. One of those women is 27-year-old Bennington resident, and drummer Justine Curry.

"It's empowering to women it's bringing not just one country together, but the whole world we've got drummers from all over the world involved," Curry

said. "It's about showing the world that female drummers are just as good as male drummers we can really rock out, and there's still a stigma against girl drummers."

Curry, who grew up in Pittsfield, Mass., but moved to Bennington in 2003, began drumming two-and-a-half years ago after a lifetime of seeing her sister perform. She was also inspired after learning her great-grandfather had percussion skills.

"I grew up watching my older sister playing drums, from the time she was 14 on, I found out my great-grandfather was a jazz drummer so it's just like music was in the family," said Curry, who performs with her boyfriend, Christopher Dayton as the duo Immune Friction.

Curry is currently the only contestant from Bennington, but she encourages other women of all ages from the area to enter it.

As of press time there were 29 entries into this year's contest, which is split into under-18 and over-18 categories, with drummers from as far away as Thailand competing for the various drumkit prizes. Voting begins on Friday, Feb. 15, but interested parties have until April 9 to submit entries.

Votes may be cast once a day by visiting www.hitlikeagirlcontest.com. The top 10 vote-getters and five wild-card entrants chosen by the contest sponsors will be evaluated by the judges.

Curry's video can be found at www.hitlikeagirlcontest.com/videos/entry/justine, more information on Immune Friction can be found at www.immunefriction.com.