That's not what I was looking for!

Blank Noise gets reports of what search terms people use to find us on the web, and the answers might surprise you. Here's a report from June 23, 2009 - the phrases on the right are the search terms which lead folks to the BNP blog.

Num	Perc.	Search Term
	10	24.39%	hot girl in kolkata she want to fuck anybody
	8	19.51%	blank noise
	4	9.76%	blank noise project
	4	9.76%	blanknoise
	1	2.44%	indian womans sex 4 u
	1	2.44%	what is to be done to make india a developed country?
	1	2.44%	you tube forced aunty fuck bad pink girl
	1	2.44%	blog.blanknoise.org bombay-march-15
	1	2.44%	cheapest call girl service in hyderabad
	1	2.44%	i want a prostitute in patna to fuck her
	1	2.44%	pink chaddi
	1	2.44%	nirbhaya karnataka?
	1	2.44%	vidya shankar aiyar
	1	2.44%	how to make a sign
	1	2.44%	pepper spray in chennai
	1	2.44%	memo for inspector general
	1	2.44%	hyderabadi girls at cheapest price
	1	2.44%	hyderabad girls looking for one night stand
	1	2.44%	butt fingering in crowded bus video
	41	100.00%

And here's a report from June 26, 2009:

	4	11.43%	blank noise
	3	8.57%	noise
	2	5.71%	blank noise bangalore
	2	5.71%	section 354 ipc
	2	5.71%	blank noise india
	2	5.71%	ipc: section 354
	2	5.71%	black noise project
	2	5.71%	megha mahindru
	1	2.86%	eve teasing blog
	1	2.86%	shivaji nagar call girls in bangalore
	1	2.86%	night service hubli girls friends & aunties
	1	2.86%	pepper spray in bangalore
	1	2.86%	blanknoise
	1	2.86%	garment you
	1	2.86%	hot wife is is touching aman in crowded bus
	1	2.86%	section ipc 354
	1	2.86%	bangalore blogspot.com
	1	2.86%	free sexualrelation gujarati girl
	1	2.86%	personal pepper spray for ladies available in india
	1	2.86%	sale on kids garment kolkata shops 29th june 2009
	1	2.86%	misfortunute incident
	1	2.86%	laughing noise
	1	2.86%	overview of women bus conductors
	1	2.86%	how to make a sign
	35	100.00%

I'm guessing quite a few people were surprised at where they ended up.

I made a little wish in a big park:

Saraswathi:

This was one of the 'whacky',creative things to do and I enjoyed every bit of it:)

Secondly, this felt like 'self-assertive' feminism, simply trying to claim one's space and one' spersonal freedom in public places. No man-hating or blaming others.
Third, this was quite action oreinted and 'being there' . Participating in person is a differently empowering experinece altogether as compared to discussing or talking about things (those are important too however).

I was doing much more service to myself than a social service or changing atttitudes of others. I was breaking free of my own inhibitions and questining what is 'appropriate' in public-like dancing in public without music; or what is appropriate because I am a woman-like lying on a park bench without meaning to 'get laid'.

I was changing my own attitude. I gained a little more confidance and trust within myself.
There are some things I do anyways-like pouting etc. Now I would feel less guilty or responsible if some man stares at me for it. I just like to do it and I accept myself for it!

Apurva: It seems such a simple thing for me to go to the park and sit or read or sleep out there that I never even think about and take it for granted, . It seems to be a traumatic experience for you. I do not think I can ever understand or really connect to your experience in public places. Somehow, talking about it and seeing it happen before you are different things, I guess. I feel that we need to capture these situations in more than words...

Soumya: I distinctly remember that about 2 years ago i traveled through Cubbon park to office and craved to spend a lazy morning and afternoon just lolling about in the grass. The practical answer i would give myself was that i had to go to work... but somewhere i also knew it was because i didn't want to "invite" creeps or any "incidents". Today when I sat in the park and did nothing but watch people go by, enjoyed the feel of the grass and even dozed off for a bit, I wondered... why did i have to wait for being a part of blank noise to do this? what has changed in me for having done it?

Shreyasi:When I told my friends that so I’m spending my Saturday afternoon at a park, just lying down staring at the sky, oblivious to the people around me and listening to music, they thought that I had lost it. The most common reaction being a very sarcastic “yeah right”. Then someone said “Dude, Cubbon park isn’t really the safest place you know… there are strange creepy men so will you take care please”.

I think that was the reason why I wanted to do this. It is my space too… so why should I have to think thrice (read a zillion times) before I go there and do something that is only very normal to do in a park. Moreover, I didn’t know for sure. It was only assumed that the park, like any other public space, was going to be filled with letchy men trying to make you regret having come there in the first place. I was happy that my assumptions were wrong. Maybe so because I had my own set of guardian angels in the park who I knew were looking out for me. Maybe because I wasn’t subjected to the usual doze of comments and stares. Maybe because I was so engrossed in doing what I was, that I was oblivious to them, if they were there. But the best part was that I was relaxed enough to let myself get that oblivious!

I wore a kurta with a deep back. I wore a mask. I sat on a park bench n read. And somehow doing something as small as that felt like being free. Then soon enough it was time to challenge that... push it a little bit. I laid down on the park bench and put on the music. I allowed myself to shut my eyes. I could not allow myself to fall asleep! I think it was just the fact that no matter how comfortable I got I still was in a public space and I have learned to not trust them.

What do you wish to do this Saturday at Cubbon Park?

Remember the wish list you prepared for things you wished you could do in your city?


Here's one more!

What are the things you would love to do at the park in your city?
(build the park wish list below)




Amrutha Bushan: * i wish i could smile whole heartedly at each and every person i saw in a park without worrying that i was inviting trouble.

* i love minimal clothing. i wish i could wear them on a daily basis;even to a park.

Dianne Sharma Winter: if i could be there I would wear a pink tutu and do handstands all across the park to the astonished cheers of my family and then someone would come along and offer me a job in the circusand i would take it

Shreyasi :I want to lay down under a tree and stare at the sky with music
blaring in my ears!! :) :D

Yasmin: I want to be able to take a nap in the park.

Aarthi: I want to skip the rope + read a book.

Saraswathi: I wish to whistle my favourite songs in public.

Jasmine : I am going to write a letter to a dear friend.

Natasha Hemrajani: i wish i could sit on the grass all by myself in tiny
shorts and soak up some sun and read and nap
without a care in the world without people staring
at my skin or at my lack of company and without
random men mouthing lewd songs at me because
this what they do when a woman appears
alone and vulnerable and skimpily dressed.

Bedatri: i want to get wet in the rain-from top to bottom,to the innermost strings of my garment and then walk back home without feeling guilty and i want to sit on the front seat of the auto and enjoy the breeze without twisting and turning in order to avoid those sudden brakes and what they bring along.

Lindsey Rieder : When I lived in Jaipur I always wanted to sit on the bench in the park near my house and enjoy watching the birds and squirrels and all the kids playing.

Soumya: I just want to plonk myself comfortable PJs in whichever position and dream away

Chitra: i wanna listen to my ipod and dance on the streets, not just bob my head and walk......

Alexandra: I am from Canada, and will be trying to erase the horrible tanline I have gotten from wearing Salwar Kameez everyday, while simultaneously entertaining my puppy whose name is Tombi.

and you?

Join us at 3 30 pm, Saturday, to do exactly what you wish to do there.
email us to confirm if you're coming!

The activities are individual based and not meant to be

co ordinated with what other Action Heroes will be doing.

There are no 'rules' except it would be fantastic if

Action Heroes wore a garment they always wished to wear

but did not because they thought they might be 'asking for it'.

The event will go on until 6 pm.

Every body is invited.

Bring along your friends, family or anyone interested.

Be an Action Hero!

Saturday Action Heroes include:

1. Aarthi
2. Machlee
3. Mangit
4. Shreyasi
5. Hemangini
6. Soumya
7. Chitra
8. Shilo
9. Ratna
10. Katheeja
11. Amrutha
12. Alexandra
13. Saraswathi
14. Jasmine
    
15. you?
    
16. sign up!! e: blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com
    

PROBLEMATIC PROBLEM SOLVING ISSUES:

sent by Annie
Age: 22 : Andheri Station, Mumbai


Source: Indian Express

To keep eve-teasing at bay, four Kanpur girls degree colleges have banned students from wearing jeans, tight tops, sleeveless blouse, high heels, tight fitting clothes in the campus.


Source: TOI
If you are a girl in Kanpur, you can’t wear jeans to college. , Dayanand Girl’s College, affiliated to Kanpur University, began moral policing by restricting its students from wearing western outfits on the campus. A notice to this effect was issued before the start of the
academic year.


Source: One India
We can’t overlook the safety of students. A dress code would check eve-teasing to some extent and also ensure that girls don’t waste their time selecting what clothes to wear," Jamal said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

1. it is not only the jeans wearing women who get violated and harassed on the street

2. women across age groups. body types. clothes, socio economic groups have been 'teased', attacked, assaulted, intimidated by random male strangers in their cities.

3. a garment may seem inappropriate to another stranger but no one 'asks for it' or deserves to be violated.

4. blaming survivors of harassment has been an age old way problematic solution. to counter that- we ask you to walk the streets of your cities without apology.


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We have had innumerable discussions on the Blank Noise blog about clothes. provocation. harassment. and 'asking for it'. Without further delay here's what we ask you to do:
SEND ONE GARMENT YOU WORE WHEN YOU WERE SEXUALLY HARASSED, OR 'EVE TEASED' ON THE STREET. YOUR GARMENT IS YOUR WITNESS. SAY OUT LOUD " I NEVER ASK FOR IT "


I Never Ask For it discussions can be found here:

(please send us links if you come across more of these)

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2991

http://www.savadati.com/?p=498
http://www.savadati.com/?p=71
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=b332809a-ea1b-4f08-84a8-bb1e55dd8584
http://www.bharatwaves.com/portal/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=9
http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit07172006/index.asp

Chennai contact - Katheeja

email: blanknoisechennai@gmail dot com

Bangalore Contact:

Delhi Contact:

Bombay Contact:

Calcutta contact:

Lucknow: blanknoiselucknow@gmail.com

Blank Noise on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=2703755288&ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=142739725581&ref=ts

also at fox news

links: salon

Bitch

Susan Campbell

things to do at home:

mongan iruna nayinte thalayil thenga veenathu pole
malyalam
is like a dog who was waiting for a coconut to fall on its head.
(sent by Aathira)

agar mittha samne hai toh makhi toh zaroor aasi

How would you say it in your language?

"I NEVER ASK FOR IT"

I NEVER ASK FOR IT.

(in Deutsche):
contributed by Ulrike Syha
Ich habe nie darum gebeten.
or
Darum habe ich nie gebeten.
I would prefer the latter.


(in French) :
contributed by Roselyne Titaud and Barret Clemence
je n'ai jamais demandé ça



(in Malyalam) :
contributed by Nandini Raja
njaan aavashyapettilla = I never ask for it.

contributed by Farid Jalal
jyaan teere athinnu choichitilla = I have never asked for it.



(in Oriya) :
contributed by Snigdha Sahoo
mun kebe bi e sabu chaanhi na thili - i never ask for it


(in Gujarati):
contributed by Niyati Patel
hoon kyarey magti nathi - i never ask for it
me kyarey aa magyu nathi - i have never asked for it
mane aa joytu nathi - i dont want this

(in Bangla) :

contributed by Sunayana Roy

Ami to chai ni -- I did not ask for it
Ami kokhunoyi chai na -- I never ask for it
Ami e shob chai na -- I don't want all this

(in Marathi):

contributed by Poonam Vaidya
मी कद्धी नाही हेचा साथी विचारल : mi kadi nahi hecha saathi vicharal= I never ask for it

(in Tamil) :

contributed by Miruna Varadarajan
naan varavazhaipadu alla = i do not invite
naanketpadu alla = i do not ask for it

contributed by R. Jai Krishna

naan ketkamataen = I never ask for it

(in Assamese) :
contributed by Arundhati Banerjee
"Moi ketiao chowa nai"......I never asked for it

(in Punjabi) :
contributed by Jasso Rani
mein maaf karna. eh kade meri galti nahin si= excuse me but it wasn't my fault.
mein kadey mangya nayi = i never ask for it

mein bilkul pasand nahi= i absolutely dislike it
akhir gur da ki kasoor= but why blame sugar? ( in reference to jithe gur uthe makhi* check image)
istey meri ki galti= why are you blaming me?


contributed by Gujan Chugh
Main eh taanh nahin si mangya= I had not asked for it

How was it implied in your language?

"She 'asked for it'?"

could be proverbs, statement, sayings from everyday conversations

"She 'asked for it":

1. Aap theek ho toh sab theek hai. (hindi) = if you are okay, then everything is okay.

2. ladki agar santo key beech par jayegi to santo toh bharka gain na? (hindi)= a girl can provoke the saints too.

3. agar mittha samne hai toh makhi toh zaroor aasi ( punjabi) = agar meethu sammey paduy che to makhi chokase avse( gujarati) =
if there's something sweet , then it is obvious that the flies will be there too.
gujurati version sent by Darshana Panchal

4. pennorumbettaal brahmanum (malayalam) = if a women wishes so, even Brahma cannote escape her advances.
sent by Suman

5. ila chennu mullil veenaalum mullu vannu ilayil veenalum kedu ilakkaanu =this is actually kind of cautionary stuff for all mallu girls of all generations. if the leaf falls on the thorns or the thorn falls on a leaf, whatever may be, it is the leaf that gets torn off.

(well actually a warning kind a.hey girl, do not go and do things, and then later on complain about it. whether you do it or they do, you are the one to suffer. hence, make no room for any such incidents only)
sent by Suman


6. ladki ki izzat kaanch ke jaisi hai. joh toot jata hai judta nahin hai = a girls modesty/respectablity is like glass. once broken it cannot be fixed.
sent by Nita Patheja

7. "Dangling a carrot in front of a donkey".
sent by Annie Zaidi

8. Juttu vippokoni gattiga navvey aada daani, yennadu nammoddhu!

old telugu saying = never trust a woman who laughs loudly with her hair open

sent by the much harassed Vijay Sai

9. streeche paul vakde padle ki samajacha naash suru hoto (marathi)= the moment a woman steps out of line (breaks social mores), the social decay begins.
sent by Pranav Joshi

10. andaman ki baarish aur aurat ka koi bharosa nahin hai= they say this in the andamans if they feel betrayed by women= the rains in andaman are unpredictable just like women.
sent by Rani Kamal

11. ek miyan mein doh talwar= 2 women in a house will always create havoc.
sent by Rani Kamal

12. jithe doh auratan hon uthe bhande kharakde hi hain= 2 women in a house will always create noise/ fight/ make trouble
sent by Indri

13. "Beware of the 3 Ws in life- women wine and wealth"
sent by Rani Kamal

14. aurtan ni gallan te nahin aana chahida. punjabi. statement = dont get into what women say.
sent by Rani Kamal

15. "Ela estava mesmo a pedi-las" Portuguese for "She was really asking for it", commonly used when, say, a rape is associated to the clothes the girl / woman was wearing at the time of the assault.

sent by Joao Lemos

16. "woh muchh hi kya jise fera nahi jaata; woh ladki hi kya jise chheda nahi jaata."hindi= ('what is a moustache that can't be curled up, what is a girl who is not teased.')

sent by Mohnish

17. "Shei orokom meye" is the sense of nudge, nudge, wink, wink, you know, she's that kind of girl. sent by Sunayana Roy

18. "Jithe Gur uthe makhi"= where there is gur/ jaggery- there will be flies.

19. "mongan iruna nayinte thalayil thenga veenathu pole"

this is a colloquial saying in Malayalam which literally means this(situation) is like a dog who was waiting for a coconut to fall on its head.
sent by Aathira

CALLING ACTION HEROES IN BOMBAY

Calling Action Heroes to meet in Bombay. Carter Road. Sunday April 19. at 4 pm

There's a dress 'code':
Wear a garment you always wished to wear but did not or could not because something told you, you might be 'asking for it'.

Please bring along a garment you wore when you were 'teased' or harassed on the street.

***The intervention itself will be simple and in true Blank Noise spirit, will involve public participation> details shall be emailed after you confirm attending.

The event will end with a discussion.

Should you wish to help towards making this event happen- please email us at blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com and add your name to the list below:

1. Varsha Chandwani
2. Mohnish Moorjani
3. Pranav Joshi
   
4. Kismet Nakai
5. Nisha Chandwani
6. Manu
7. Varsha Panikar + friends
   
8. Aparna Hajnis + friends
   
9. Punit
10. Zuleikha
11. Nhar
12. Mansi
    
13. Gayatri
    
14. Gyan
15. Saumya
16. Aparna
17. Saurabh
    
18. you?
    

Stay tuned. to organize an event in your city get in touch asap.
Yours truly
Blank Noise Team




facebook events:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/event.php?eid=71245793908

facebook group/ I NEVER ASK FOR IT/ BLANK NOISE
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/group.php?gid=142739725581&ref=ts

Blank Noise on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/group.php?gid=2703755288&ref=ts

BOMBAY. MARCH 29.

photo credit: Manu + Jasmeen

Bombay Action Heroes : Pranav , Punit, Saurabh, Kismet Nakai, Manu, Chaitra, Ruth Lobo, Priyanka Suryaneyni, Yamini Deen, Varsha Panikar, Ushi.

MAKE A SIGN

- by Ilona Granet



Make a street sign.

It can be in any city , street , lane , neighbourhood you want. You could think of signs in buses, parks, night clubs, movie halls, malls and markets- it is up to you to spell out which kind of place you want your sign in. It could even be in sites where women have experienced street sexual harassment- like here.

You are welcome to say anything you want.



Guidelines:

1. we encourage submissions that are affirmative.

2. your submission should include a brief note about which place you want to insert the sign in and why

3. it could be in any language but an English translation is important.

4. It does not need to have text. It could just be visual.

5. It does not need to have visual. It could just be text.

6. It could have both text and visual.

7. You must send us a web friendly jpeg/ png/ file, but remember not to throw away the original vector file incase yours is selected for printing!

8. you may be the recruiter- you could involve your local network to work on this.
for example- if you are a teacher- this could be a class assignment. If you are in college- you could organize a community of people to work on this.

9. Some of you might have better writing skills than visualization skills, in that case you are
welcome to send text for a street sign. Based on the response to this event we might have the option of someone with visual skills partnering with you to make this sign.

10. keep it simple

Your street sign will be put on the Blank Noise blog + flickr.
3 signs will be selected to be tried and tested in public. The selected signs could also be printed on t shirts.


Deadline: 17th May. 2009
Confirm your participation by emailing us at blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com
subject titled SIGN. We will add your name to the list below. Sign UP! Be an Action Hero.

We are always avaliable to chat with you about your idea for the street sign before your submission.



Here's what we want to say and why:

We are talking of safer cities not feared cities
We are talking of independent women, not paranoid women.
We are talking about collective responsibility- don't tell me to be even more 'cautious'.
We are talking about eve teasing as street sexual harassment and street sexual violence.
We are talking about autonomous women, not just mothers daughters and sisters amidst fathers brothers and sons.



resources/ reference
In the past we have discussed
this
and this
and this
and this
and this
and this

Sometimes we just love to walk, stand around, hang around, without looking ‘available'.

Street Sign: No Misbehaving. No Eve Teasing.

photographed by Manu
spotted by Mohnish Moorjani
Location: Joggers Park. Bombay

Seen anything like this before? Tell us about it- (better still if you could attach a photo)
e: blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com