At IGN, we celebrate the incredible women who shape our industry and world—their creativity, inspiration, empowerment, and positive impact are celebrated not just this month, but every month. Join us in recognizing and uplifting women's voices. Here's everything you need to know about Women's History Month and how to celebrate this March.
The History of Women's History Month
Women's History Month originated from a 1987 petition by the National Women’s History Project, aiming to celebrate women's contributions to the United States and acknowledge their achievements throughout American history across various fields. Interestingly, it began as "Women’s History Week" in 1982, expanding to a month-long national celebration in 1987. Since 1995, every U.S. President has issued a proclamation designating March as Women’s History Month.
TL;DR - 8 Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month
- Learn About Women in History and Share Their Stories
- Support Women-Owned Businesses and Professionals
- Watch Movies or Shows Directed by Women
- Read Books Written by Women Authors
- Play Games Created by Women
- Listen to Podcasts Featuring Women
- Volunteer at Women-Based Organizations
- Donate to Programs and Organizations Uplifting Women
1. Learn About Women in History and Share Their Stories
Explore the remarkable stories of women throughout history—inventors, leaders, and more. Excellent resources include museum websites like the Smithsonian, women-run organizations such as StoryCorps, and reputable historical publishers like The History Channel.
Suggested Reads:
- How Women Taught Me to Love and Build Games
- Yoko Shimomura's Story: The Composer of Kingdom Hearts, Super Mario RPG, and More Wins Game Developers Choice Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Twelve Black Women You Should Know
- 10 Women Inventors You Should Know
2. Support Women-Owned Businesses and Professionals
Support women in business—from artists to streamers and entrepreneurs. Shop online at Etsy, browse directories like WBD and FoundedByHer, or use Amazon's filter to find women-owned retailers. Beyond purchasing, support women's career growth. Organizations like SoundGirls provide networking and support for women in audio. Share success stories and promote organizations offering workshops and resources.
Also see: 14 Great Women Comic Book Writers.
3. Watch Movies or Shows Featuring Women or Directed by Women
Explore streaming services like Hulu (featuring shows and movies with Black female leads) and Showtime's SHOWTIME WOMEN®, showcasing female talent. Catch up on recent award-winning films like Anora, starring Mikey Madison.
What We Said in Our Anora Review:
Writer Lex Briscuso stated, "Sean Baker’s hysterical and moving Anora serves up its lead character’s purity of heart on a silver platter, showing us what it means to be let down just when the world seems so full of possibility. In this frank exploration of sex work, class, and the promises we make and break, the director reaches our souls and reminds us life isn’t all it seems to be through a story of outcasts and outsiders."
[7 Days Free][Hulu Free Trial]
[See it at Hulu]
[Here are more ways to watch Anora.]
Beyond individual films, celebrate women directors by watching classics like Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix offer easy browsing by director.
Watch Women's Sports
Support women's sports! Follow ESPNW for coverage of major leagues (NWSL, WNBA, NCAAW, etc.) and explore dedicated sites like justwomenssports.com. We also highlight WOW (Women of Wrestling). Stream many events on:
[ESPN+]
[Sign up for a standalone ESPN+ subscription or as part of the Disney Bundle.]
[See it at ESPN+]
4. Read Books Written by Women
Dive into the vast world of books written by women. Women now publish over 50% of all books (since 2020). Explore diverse authors and genres. Here’s a list of 10 books by Black women to start with.
[Top-rated books by women authors on Amazon.]
[Best-Selling Books by Women Authors]
[Browse Amazon's most popular best sellers.]
[See it at Amazon]
5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games
Many incredible games are created by women—from Portal and Celeste to Uncharted and Centipede. Explore game lists featuring women creators from sources like G2A and Microsoft.
6. Listen to Podcasts Hosted by Women
Discover podcasts hosted by women across various genres. NY Public Radio provides a list of over 100. Here are some recommendations:
- You're Wrong About: Sarah investigates misrepresented historical figures and events.
- Ladies & Tangents: Jeri and Ciara discuss companionship, human rights, and more.
- Scam Goddess: Laci Mosley explores scams and cons.
- Axe of the Blood God: Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen discuss RPGs.
- What's Good Games: Andrea Rene, Brittney Brombacher, and Riana Manuel-Peña cover video game news.
- My Favorite Murder: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark discuss true crime.
- This Ends At Prom: BJ Colangelo and Harmony Colangelo analyze teen girl movies.
- Girlfriend Material: Rosie Turner shares funny stories and chats.
- A Little Queer: Capri and Ashley explore LGBTQ+ culture.
- The Artist In Me Is Dead: Rhonda Willers explores creativity.
- Conversations With Moon Body Soul: Kaitee Tyner discusses holistic wellness.
(Note: All podcast links are implied as available on Apple Podcasts and other major platforms.)
