Congratulations to all of the winners of the first Feminists for Liberty Video Contest! We hope you enjoy watching these short films….
First Place – “Power of the Purse: How Gender Equality is a Product of Economic Liberty” by Ibis Valdes
Ibis a Cuban-American feminist, entrepreneur, and international human rights specialist who started her career in women’s rights through grassroots organizing for survivors of sexual assault. She collaborated with Lady Gaga at the 2016 Academy Awards to raise awareness of sexual abuse and the rights of survivors. For the past two years, she has been working in economic development and recently launched a boutique DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consulting firm, Ibis Valdes Consulting.
Second Place – “Children of the Ship: Amerasians in the Philippines” by Angel Lauver
Libertarians have consistently critiqued America’s foreign policy. For decades, they have been critical of US intervention and imperialism. The focus is often on the lives lost, violation of civil liberties, growth of government, and economic waste. Although libertarians have been consistently critical of US intervention, a feminist lens is helpful to highlight some of the unintended consequences of our current foreign policy. As we fight for a freer society, it’s important to note how some areas disproportionately affect women. As an example, Angel highlights the importance of a feminist critique of US intervention in the Philippines with the Amerasian children who were left behind.
Third Place (Tie) “What It Feels Like” by Sarah Rose Siskind
Sarah Rose Siskind is a comedy writer in NYC who hosts a monthly science comedy show about psychedelics (recently written up in The New Yorker). She was the lead comedy writer and coded for a robot named Sophia made by AI company, Hanson Robotics. She was also the Head Writer at StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson on Nat Geo for 2 and a half years, during which she wrote for a couple animated cartoon series and got to speak at Comic Con. She also wrote and edited Mostly Weekly, a libertarian web series for Reason TV, and worked as a production assistant for “Stossel” on Fox Business Network. Plus, she does standup! Her video considers the statements, “If feminism is the radical notion that women are people, libertarian feminism is the even more radical notion that people of all genders are individuals and should be treated as such and “Gender equality is tied not just to social and cultural liberty, but to economic liberty too,” and addresses the question: How does that feel? Libertarians aren’t exactly known for their ability to talk about feelings. But the feeling of being a libertarian is quite a distinct one. “I have found that the emotions tied to individualism and liberty are empowering, inspiring, and infectious. I made this video to try to capture that,” says Sarah.
Third Place (Tie) “4 Women Defined” by John Carter
John writes: “This is a video essay. The word feminism has many meanings, and I really wanted to define what feminism generally means in the 21st Century, and in order to do that I thought it would be important to highlight what it takes to be a feminist. I highlight 4 women who I think define what being a feminist demands of someone. While I am a guy, I had some help from some great women in my life, including the narrator (my sister).”
Honorable Mention (Tied) – “Untitled” by Ashley Shade
Ashley Shade is a Libertarian and a Transgender Woman. She is an activist for the Gender and Sexual Minorities or GSM (more commonly referred to as the LGBTQ) community as well as the Liberty Movement. She has run for office, worked on local, state, and federal campaigns, and is a member of several boards and organizations that focus on GSM issues. Feminism is important because we all deserve to be recognized, we all deserve to be who we are, and we all need that message to be spread throughout the land .Who you’re becoming is far more important than what you’re doing. And yet, it is what you’re doing that is determining who you’re becoming.
Honorable Mention (Tied) – “Untitled” by Rebecca Shrestha
Rebecca Shrestha is a student currently residing in New York. She is passionate about showing real stories rather than telling them. Rebecca says, “I am presenting you a short video that represents a message which I believe in and am desperate to show the world. I am responding to the art of self love. I strongly believe that when you work towards empowering yourself, recognizing your strengths, and loving yourself radically, you achieve self liberation because beauty is beyond our size and skin. Beauty is what’s within. With this video I want people to reclaim their body and it’s image. It is time we redefine feminine beauty by starting to love ourselves for who we are. This video represents the journey of a woman on how the world has perceived her and judged her based on the way she looks/based on her gender.”
A Special Thank You to Everyone Who Submitted a Video
We received many entries and our judges found it very difficult to select our winners. Thank you to everyone who took time to make a submission, including….
- Aida Vazquez-Soto, “Untitled”
- Doris Morgan Rueda, “Untitled”
- Jacob James Rich, “Hot Mess Feminism Endorsement”
- Kristin Brown, “Untitled”
- Lauren Thorp, “Untitled”
- Maria Juliana Náder Cárdenas, “Untitled”
- Megan Heryet, “Untitled”
- Olivia Beyes-Zak, “Taylor Mill”
- Zoe Blunt, “Spinstervale Virtual Tour”
