Location:
Namita Sharma's Tea Stall.
Gariahat.
Kolkata.
Namita Sharma's tea stall is by the auto stand in
Gariahat market,
Kolkata. Every evening, eva long
que lines up by her tea stall awaiting their auto rickshaw ride back home. During this stretch of time some people drink tea , smoke a
ciggarete, snack a bit.
Namita and her colleagues welcomed Blank Noise as an idea. Her tea stall hosts the Blank Noise opinion poll which asks a simple but infinitely complex question-
WHAT IS EVE TEASING? LOOKING? STARING? STARING AT BREASTS? TALKING TO BREASTS? ADJUSTING REAR VIEW MIRROR? PASSING COMMENTS? CALLING NAMES? RATING? WHISTLING? SINGING? MAKING KISSING SOUND? UNSOLICITED CONVERSATION? WINKING? BLOWING KISSES? UNSOLICITED PHOTOGRAPHY? TICKLING? TOUCHING 'ACCIDENTALLY'? GROPING? TOUCHING/NUDGING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT?/ RUBBING? FINGERING?SPITTING ON? STALKING? VEHICLES( CARS. BIKES. CYCLES) FOLLOWING. VEHICLES( CARS. BIKES. CYCLES) HONKING. VEHICLES( CARS. BIKES. CYCLES)PURPOSELY DASHING? GESTURES/ACTIONS/ MASTURBATION? FLASHING? OTHERS??
There have been
innumerable debates on the blog in the past over what exactly constitutes 'street sexual violence'- Can it be in the verb of 'looking' or in the adverb of 'lecherously looking'. there are questions about what constitutes a lecherous look- and the ones who experience it will argue saying ' it's obvious. we just know!'
This is precisely the kind of discussion we want to further on the streets itself. More than for facts figures and statistics we attempt to use the form of an opinion poll to start discussions. The opinion poll also becomes a 'safe' way for people to testify and admit what they have seen or experienced.
The opinion poll is bilingual- for
Kolkata it is in
Bangla/ Bengali and English. We are getting them made in English with Urdu/ Hindi/ Kannada/
Telegu/ Tamil/ If you would like to volunteer with translations do email us asap! always at blurtblanknoise@gmail.com
By asking someone from your neighbourhood /locality to host the Blank Noise Eve Teasing Opinion Poll you are getting them involved in the process of taking agency, and also being an agent yourself. The opinion poll could also be in your college/ office/ apartment block/ market/ anywhere- email us- let's discuss your ideas
You will need to provide your local Blank Noise agent with 2 ink pads( red and blue) for people to put their thumb print.
In the next 2 weeks individuals/ Blank Noise members from Delhi,
Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Lucknow,
Kolkata will receive the opinion poll charts. If you belong to any of these cities and would like get started - email us right away!
If your city is not mentioned and you would like start this process in your city, write in and we could have an entire bunch sent in to you. You could also be the opinion poll distributor for your city or town.
You will also receive an email with detailed instructions on how to introduce Blank Noise/ the issue of 'eve teasing' and how this process can be documented.
Coming up is an interview with Namita Sharma on her experience of hosting the opinion poll. The interview will be conducted by members of the Blank Noise Kolkata team.We look forward to your emails!
blurtblanknoise@gmail.com
Blank Noise Agents : people who are participating in Opinion Poll project to further discussion about 'eve teasing'.
- Barkha Madhok- New Delhi- Will install the poster in her office.
- Ashish Asgekar- Goa-will translate the opinion poll to marathi
- Nabila Zaidi- Lucknow- will translate the opinion poll and distribute opinion poll sheets in Lucknow. She is also installing the poster at Avadh Girl's College.
- Sharath V- Bangalore- has translated the text to kannada. The text has been further edited by Blank Noise bangalore.
- Girish Pandit- edited Kannada text.
- Meghna C edited the kannada text.
- Soumya C. Shekhar edited the kannada text.
- Nisha Chandwani - Mumbai added the word ' pinching' to the opinion poll list.
- Siddarth Mukund Srivastava- New Delhi- is translating the opinion poll to Hindi.
- Poorva Dutt - New Delhi is also translating the opinion poll text to Hindi
