Celebrate Women's History Month: 8 Great Ways

At IGN, we're thrilled to celebrate the incredible women who shape our industry and world—creators, inspirations, and change-makers. This isn't just a March thing; 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 ways 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 recognize 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. Its expansion to a month-long national celebration in 1987 followed continued advocacy. 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 starting points 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, explore directories like WBD and FoundedByHer, or use Amazon's filter to find women-owned retailers. Beyond purchasing, supporting women's career growth is crucial. SoundGirls, for example, fosters a supportive network for women in the audio industry. Sharing success stories and promoting organizations offering workshops and networking resources significantly 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, while Showtime's SHOWTIME WOMEN® showcases films by female talents.

Following the 2025 Oscars, consider catching up on acclaimed films like Anora, starring Oscar-winner Mikey Madison.

Our Anora Review:

Lex Briscuso wrote, "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."

Beyond individual films, celebrate women directors with classics like Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix simplify browsing for women-directed films.

Watch Women's Sports:

ESPNW covers major women's sports, and justwomenssports.com is dedicated to the subject. We also highlight WOW (Women of Wrestling). Stream many events on:

4. Read Books Written by Women

Women authors are prolific and diverse. BookRiot notes women now publish over 50% of all books. Explore diverse voices and genres! Here's a list of 10 books by Black women to start with.

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 to get you started. Here are a few 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 historical hoaxes.
• 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 explore true crime.
• This Ends At Prom: BJ and Harmony Colangelo analyze coming-of-age films.
• Girlfriend Material: Rosie Turner shares funny stories and chats.
• A Little Queer: Capri and Ashley discuss LGBTQ+ culture and media.
• The Artist In Me Is Dead: Rhonda Willers explores creativity.
• Conversations With Moon Body Soul: Kaitee Tyner discusses holistic wellness.

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