8 Ways to Honor Women's History Month Now

At IGN, we're thrilled to celebrate the remarkable women in our history and industry who create, inspire, empower, and drive positive change—not just during Women's History Month, but every month. We invite you to join us in continuous learning, celebrating, and amplifying women's voices. Here's everything you need to know about Women's History Month and some fantastic ways to celebrate this March.

The History Behind Women's History Month

Women's History Month originated from a petition by the National Women’s History Project in 1987, with the aim to "celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields."

Did you know that Women’s History Month initially started as “Women’s History Week" in 1982, observed during the week of March 7? It wasn't until 1987 that this event expanded into a month-long, national celebration. Efforts have continued to ensure Women's History Month remains recognized, and every President since 1995 has issued annual proclamations 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

Dive into the stories of women in history across various platforms, from inventors to leaders. Start your journey at museums and their online archives like the Smithsonian, organizations such as StoryCorps run by women, and reputable history-based publishers like The History Channel.

More suggested reads:

• How Women Taught Me to Love and Build Games
• Read 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 by shopping online on platforms like Etsy, and exploring Women-Owned Business Directories such as WBD or FoundedByHer. Amazon also offers a filter to shop women-owned retailers across various categories.

Supporting women in their career growth is crucial. Organizations like SoundGirls provide women in the audio industry with networking opportunities and resources. Sharing success stories and contributing to organizations that offer workshops and networking can significantly uplift women in business.

Also see: 14 Great Women Comic Book Writers.

3. Watch Movies or Shows Featuring Women or Directed by Women

Start with Hulu's featured collection of shows and movies with Black female leads, or explore Showtime's SHOWTIME WOMEN® network, celebrating women in front of and behind the camera.

Following the 2025 Oscars, catch up on the award-winning film Anora, starring lead actress and Oscar winner Mikey Madison.

What We Said in Our Anora Review

Writer Lex Briscuso said, "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

67See it at HuluHere are more ways to watch Anora.

Discover Women Directors

Celebrate films directed by women, including hits like Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix make it easy to find movies directed by women.

Watch Women's Sports

Don't miss out on women's sports, covered extensively by ESPNW across NWSL, WNBA, NCAAW, and more. Check out justwomenssports.com for a site dedicated solely to women's sports. We also highlight our partnership with WOW (Women of Wrestling) and their streaming availability.

Women's sports are gaining popularity across soccer, basketball, wrestling, and beyond. Stream major events on:

### ESPN+

10Sign up for a standalone ESPN+ subscription or as part of the Disney Bundle that includes Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu. See it at ESPN+4. Read Books Written by Women

Explore books by women authors across all genres. According to BookRiot, "Women now publish more than 50% of all books, and have since 2020. The increase in published books by women has also come with a boost for the book industry overall, which boasted a year-on-year increase of 12.3% in 2021 (if you're curious, publishing made $29.3 billion in 2021). With these stats, we see what we've already known, really, which is that diversifying the publishing industry is not only the right thing to do, but people also just really like it."

Here are some top-rated books by women authors to get you started, available on Amazon:

### Best-Selling Books by Women Authors

0Browse Amazon's most popular best sellers based on sales and updated frequently. From Kindle Editions to paperback. See it at Amazon5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games

Discover games created by women, from Portal to Celeste, the Uncharted series, and the classic arcade game Centipede. Games like Celeste have made significant cultural impacts, such as its Five-Year Journey to Becoming One of the Most Important Trans Games Ever. (You can purchase or download Celeste on Nintendo.com for $19.99).

Women currently make up only about 22% of the video game industry. Learn more about the experiences of female and non-binary game development professionals in a Snapshot of Women in Video Game Development from 2017, which remains highly relevant.

Browse game lists featuring women creators on platforms like G2A, and Microsoft's curated lists of games created by and for women.

6. Listen to Podcasts Hosted by Women

Explore a wide range of podcasts hosted by women, covering news, history, comedy, pop culture, and criminal storytelling. NY Public Radio offers a list of over 100 women-hosted podcasts, available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, or your preferred platform. Here are some recommendations from IGN's podcast enthusiasts (in no particular order):

1. You're Wrong About

In You're Wrong About, Sarah, a journalist obsessed with the past, reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination. Listen on Apple.

2. Ladies & Tangents

If you hate leaving the house but also want to feel seen, the Ladies & Tangents podcast is for you. Jeri and Ciara, besties and cousins, carry you through their relatable conversations around companionship, human rights, and more. Listen on Apple.

3. Scam Goddess

In Scam Goddess, Laci Mosley keeps you up to date on the latest scams and "breaks down historic hoodwinks alongside some of your favorite comedians! It’s like true crime only without all the death! True fun crime!" Listen on Apple.

4. Axe of the Blood God

RPG gaming fans can join Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen as they explore Final Fantasy, Skyrim, and all the best in the wonderful world of role-playing games. Listen on Apple.

5. What's Good Games

Another great podcast for gaming fans, join What's Good Games' Andrea Rene, Brittney Brombacher, and Riana Manuel-Peña as they analyze the latest video game news each week and give hands-on impressions of upcoming titles. Listen on Apple.

6. My Favorite Murder

My Favorite Murder is the original hit true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Join the growing fan club of "Murderinos". Listen on Apple.

7. This Ends At Prom

This Ends at Prom is a weekly podcast analyzing the staying power of womanhood featured in coming-of-age and teen girl movies from the queer, feminist cisgender and trans perspectives. Hosted by wives BJ Colangelo and Harmony Colangelo. Listen on Apple.

8. Girlfriend Material

This fabulous "Gay-Z" podcast features funny stories, cheeky chats, and moving moments with comedy creator and TikToker Rosie Turner! It doesn't matter where you are on your own LGBTQ+ journey of discovery, this podcast is for everyone! Listen on Apple.

9. A Little Queer

Another LGBTQ+ focused podcast, dive into queer culture, advice, and media with your new BFFs, Capri and Ashley. Listen on Apple.

10. The Artist In Me Is Dead

"The artist in you is dead, but what if it’s actually only dormant and you only need to nurture it back to life?" Explore creativity with host Rhonda Willers and guests every Thursday. She also explores when people feel most creative: what are they doing? How do they tap into their creativity? Listen on Apple.

11. Conversations With Moon Body Soul

Listen to host and owner of Moon Body Soul, Kaitee Tyner, as she shares topics across holistic wellness. If you're getting into self-care and need some inspiration, this is for you. Listen on Apple.