8 Great Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month Right Now

At IGN, we celebrate the incredible women who shape our industry and world—their creativity, inspiration, empowerment, and positive impact. This isn't just for March; it's an ongoing commitment. Join us as we continue to learn from, 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 originated from a 1987 petition by the National Women’s History Project, aiming to honor women's contributions to the United States and acknowledge their achievements throughout American history across various fields.

Interestingly, it started as "Women’s History Week" in 1982, observed during the week of March 7th. It evolved into 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 remarkable stories of women throughout history—inventors, leaders, and more. Excellent resources include museum websites like the Smithsonian, 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 beyond. Shop online at sites like Etsy, explore Women Owned Business Directories such as WBD and FoundedByHer, or use Amazon's filter to find women-owned retailers. Beyond purchases, support their 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 also helps.

Also see: 14 Great Women Comic Book Writers.

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

Hulu features shows and movies with Black female leads, and Showtime's SHOWTIME WOMEN® showcases films by female talents. Following the 2025 Oscars, consider catching up on award-winning films like Anora, starring Mikey Madison.

[](link to Anora)

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."

[](link to Hulu)

[link to other ways to watch Anora]

Discover Women Directors:

Enjoy classic and contemporary films directed by women, such as Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix offer easy browsing.

Watch Women's Sports:

ESPNW covers major women's sports, and justwomenssports.com is dedicated entirely to women's athletics. Don't forget WOW (Women of Wrestling)! Stream many events on:

[](link to ESPN+)

4. Read Books Written by Women

Women authors are prolific! BookRiot notes that women published over 50% of all books since 2020. Explore diverse genres and authors. Here's a list of 10 books by Black women to consider.

[](link to Amazon bestsellers)

5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games

Many fantastic games feature women creators, developers, and designers. From Portal to Celeste and the Uncharted series, there's a wealth of incredible games to explore. Find curated lists online, such as those from G2A and Microsoft.

6. Listen to Podcasts Hosted by Women

Discover podcasts hosted by women across various genres. NY Public Radio offers 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 review video games.
• My Favorite Murder: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark present true crime comedy.
• 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 discuss LGBTQ+ culture.
• The Artist In Me Is Dead: Rhonda Willers explores creativity.
• Conversations With Moon Body Soul: Kaitee Tyner discusses holistic wellness.