Celebrate Women's History Month: 8 Great Ways

At IGN, we celebrate the women who shape our industry and world—creators, inspirations, and agents of positive change. This isn't just a March thing; it's an ongoing commitment. Join us as we learn, celebrate, and amplify women's voices. Here's your guide to Women's History Month and how to celebrate this March.

The History of Women's History Month

Women's History Month began with a 1987 petition from the National Women’s History Project, aiming to celebrate women's contributions to the United States and their achievements across various fields. Interestingly, it started 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.

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 stories of women throughout history—inventors, leaders, and more. Excellent resources include museum websites like the Smithsonian, organizations like 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—artists, streamers, and entrepreneurs. Shop online at Etsy, browse directories like WBD and FoundedByHer, or use Amazon's filter for women-owned retailers. Beyond shopping, support women's career growth. Organizations like SoundGirls provide networking and support for women in the audio industry. Sharing success stories and promoting organizations offering workshops and resources helps uplift women in business.

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.

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."

Here are more ways to watch Anora.

Beyond individual films, discover films directed by women, such as Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix offer easy browsing options.

Don't forget women's sports! ESPNW covers major leagues (NWSL, WNBA, NCAAW), and justwomenssports.com is dedicated entirely to women's athletics. We also highlight WOW (Women of Wrestling). Stream many major events on ESPN+.

4. Read Books Written by Women

Women authors are prolific! BookRiot reports women publish over 50% of all books since 2020. Explore diverse genres and authors. Here's a list of 10 books by Black women to add to your reading list. Browse Amazon's best-selling books by women authors.

5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games

Many fantastic games are created by women—from Portal and Celeste to Uncharted and Centipede. Explore game lists featuring women creators, such as G2A's list and curated lists from Microsoft.

6. Listen to Podcasts Hosted by Women

From news and history to comedy and true crime, countless podcasts are hosted by women. NY Public Radio compiled a list of over 100. Here are some recommendations:

• You're Wrong About: Sarah reconsiders miscast people and events.
• Ladies & Tangents: Jeri and Ciara discuss companionship and human rights.
• Scam Goddess: Laci Mosley covers scams and "fun crime."
• 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 analyze video game news.
• My Favorite Murder: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark explore true crime comedy.
• This Ends At Prom: BJ and Harmony Colangelo analyze teen girl movies.
• Girlfriend Material: Rosie Turner shares funny stories and chats.
• A Little Queer: Capri and Ashley discuss queer culture.
• The Artist In Me Is Dead: Rhonda Willers explores creativity.
• Conversations With Moon Body Soul: Kaitee Tyner discusses holistic wellness.

(Note: All podcast listening links are omitted for brevity as per the instructions. The user can easily find these podcasts on their preferred platform using the provided titles.)