Who we are, where we go, what we wear, how we sit, stand, talk, walk in our very own cities. When we demand the need to make our cities non-threatening, I don't expect anyone to think of me as their sister or mother, but to really look at women as citizens who have every right to be out on the streets, without any explanation. Sometimes we just love to walk, stand around, hang around, without looking 'available.'

Blank Noise (2007)

Being Idle : Experience the site you act upon transform by you being idle. Be the stimuli. The Agent. Be An Action Shero.

Between 2006- 2009 Blank Noise invited women, and girls to identify themselves as citizens by pursuing a state of courageous idleness. We became Action Sheroes, Heroes or Action Theyroes through unlearning warnings, making eye contact, standing idle against city railings. We learnt to occupy and to count on each other to do so.
We imagined and claimed a new relationship with our cities. Citizens across India through Blank Noise chapters, self-organised to create Being Idle. Cities and places included- Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Kolkata Chennai, Hyderabad. We stood together and alone, in solidarity. We also carried letters, bearing anonymous testimonials of street harassment, addressed to strangers, calling them in, stand with me.
Being Idle Action Sheroes/ Theyroes/ Heroes communities emerged via google groups, Orkut , Blogger, word of mouth and the press.

An Action sHero is a woman who faces threat and experiences fear on the streets of her city, but can devise unique ways to confront it. Her final response might have been to choose to ignore the violator, but she will have chosen to do so. An Action Hero does not surrender to power on the street.

Idle women were a threat. Often groups of men, or single men called out, taunted at, and harassed Action Sheroes. Still from year 2007, in response to be taunted and harassed, Action Sheroes left the footpath railings, making non verbal eye contact.… — “What are you doing?

**Are you waiting for someone?”** In response to our purposeful idleness by city railing -groups of men or single men questioned our presence. It ranged from curiosity to harassment; including taunting comments.
In 2007, Action Sheroes left the footpath railings they leaned against, confronting a harasser, making nonverbal eye contact. No words were spoken. Confronted by their gaze. He left. The group found solidarity and friendship; a realisation of power within and in numbers.

Call To Action Poster : Being Idle (2007)

I thought the action on Sunday night was a terrific success. When we lined the railings in front of the arcade, most people who passed through noticed the change. They may not have realized exactly what was going o-1.png

Action Shero Niha Masih , Being Idle. Delhi (2006)

Because we deserve to relate to our public environments with belonging and pride, not fear. Email in the subject title “ Signing up to #BeingIdle actionshero@blanknoise.org