Tsunami — Caught on Camera (Boxing Day 2004 Tsunami)

Please see our “About,” “Why Radfem?” and “The Gears” pages for additional information about this project.

Common themes represented here:

Reversal.  Whenever we see reporting on “natural disasters” there are references made to “the wrath of mother nature” and human male traits such as violence, mercilessness, rage/anger or revenge are projected onto nature uncritically.  In reality, nature is value-neutral and does not have intent or malicious intent, but men constantly pretend otherwise, and in the case of all natural disasters, much of the harm is due not to the storm or geological event itself but to failures of (men’s) structures and infrastructures that follow.  Importantly, much is often made of men or male technology “saving lives” before, during and in the aftermath of these disasters, when in reality, without men’s negligence, malice, incompetence and greed, there would not be nearly as many people in harm’s way — victims to be rescued — in the first place.

As we can plainly see with our own eyes in all media coverage of disaster events — or from experiencing them firsthand — but which is never adequately or actually addressed, buildings and transportation hubs are built too close to the sea, or with cheap or shoddy materials which are not intended to protect or preserve life but to maximize profit for the property owners and builders; and male-devised and male-run corporations, quasi-governmental agencies and government-run utilities and social safety nets are revealed to be flimsy facades when “put to the test” or in other words, when they are called upon to do exactly what they are supposed to do during foreseeable periods of increased demand.  Men’s responsibility for this harm to life and property is never adequately addressed in media coverage of these disaster events, and the specifically manmade destruction is made to seem to naturally flow from the natural event when it doesn’t.  These media images have the intent and effect of normalizing men’s greed, incompetence and the fact that they routinely put women and children in harm’s way on purpose, and the ways this supports male power — including economic power — and increases female vulnerability, including destroying women’s gynergy when our homes and our children are destroyed.  See also Fetishize female vulnerability; Normalize abuse/neglect; Harm reduction/refusal to name the agent.

Parts 2-8 of this documentary are available on Youtube.

Footage of the 2011 tsunami devastating the northeast coast of Japan, with similar results and implications:

Part 1 of a documentary on that disaster here (the rest is available on Youtube):