At IGN, we celebrate the incredible women who shape our industry and world—creators, innovators, and changemakers. This isn't just a March thing; it's an ongoing commitment. Join us in recognizing and amplifying 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 honor women's contributions to the United States and highlight their achievements throughout American history.
Interestingly, it started as "Women’s History Week" in 1982, observed during the week of March 7th. It wasn't until 1987 that it became a month-long national celebration. Since 1995, every 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, women-led 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 Etsy, browse directories like WBD and FoundedByHer, or use Amazon's filter to find women-owned retailers. Beyond purchasing, actively 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 significantly aids women in business.
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 and documentaries from female talents.
Following the 2025 Oscars, consider catching up on acclaimed films. A major winner was Anora, starring Oscar-winning actress 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.
Discover Women Directors
Beyond women-led roles, explore films directed by women, including classics like Barbie, American Psycho, and The Hurt Locker. Streaming services like Netflix simplify browsing for women directors.
Watch Women's Sports
Women's sports are gaining popularity. ESPNW covers major leagues, and justwomenssports.com is dedicated entirely to women's athletics. We also highlight WOW (Women of Wrestling). Stream major events on:
4. Read Books Written by Women
Women authors are prolific and diverse. According to BookRiot, women publish over 50% of all books since 2020. Explore various genres and authors. Here's a list of 10 books by Black women to add to your reading list.
Best-Selling Books by Women Authors
5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games
Many fantastic games feature women creators, developers, and designers. From Portal to Celeste and the Uncharted series, women have significantly contributed to gaming. Celeste's success story is particularly noteworthy. Explore game lists featuring women creators on sites like 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 reconsiders miscast historical figures and events.
- Ladies & Tangents: Jeri and Ciara discuss companionship and human rights.
- Scam Goddess: Laci Mosley explores 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 cover video game news.
- 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 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 links should be replaced with actual links to Apple Podcasts or other relevant platforms.)
