Diksha Sundriyal
Normally, I would start this with something cheesy like “women are complicated, beautiful creatures”. But you already know that and it isn’t what you are here for. You are here for something that is of the women, for the women and by the women. Be it the stories of motivating women or a single place where you can get every query of yours answered, or just that you want to hear a woman’s voice after listening to a bunch of podcasts that are all hosted by men — this compilation has everything you need. Here’s the list of top female centric podcasts. You can listen to several of these best female-centric podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or even YouTube for free.
20. The Weekly List (2018- present)
Too busy with work these days? Don’t have enough time to read the newspaper? ‘The Weekly List’ has you covered. Amy Siskind hosts this podcast that gives you an overall gist of the things that have happened in the prior week. Once you have been updated, the attention is drawn towards the important stuff, the small things you might have missed. It also serves as a complement to the content on Weekly List’s website. You can listen to the podcast here.
19. Another Round (2015- 2017)
Tracy Clayton and Heben Nigatu host this podcast to discuss issues ranging from pop culture to racism. The podcast has seen guests like Hillary Clinton, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Issa Rae and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The various sections of the podcast include rapid fire and drunk debates. It was featured on “one of the best” list of 2015. You can listen to all its episodes here.
18. Women of the Hour with Lena Dunham (2015-present)
‘Girls’ star Lena Dunham hosts this podcast to talk about everything, from work and love to politics and activism. Her guests on the show are some very notable personalities like Academy Award-winning actress, Emma Stone; singer-songwriter, Camila Cabello; Lola Pellegrino, Janet Mock and many more. In some of her episodes, she talks about the women, like Sylvia Rivera, who have left a strong mark on the world. You can listen about them in ‘Women of the Hour’ here.
17. Black Girl Nerds (2015- present)
If you want a description of ‘Black Girl Nerds’, you’ll find it in the title. There’s no beating around the bush in this podcast. It caters to the need of black women, and to all people of colour, for that matter. From ‘Captain Marvel’ to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, from Sundance festival to ‘Black Panther’, it covers a great range of movies and TV shows that we are excited about. You can listen to all its episodes here.
16. Jesus and Jollof (2018-present)
Luvvie Ajayi and Yvonne Orji host this podcast where they talk about all kinds of things. They are Nigerian and talking about where they come from, their childhood, and their career is an integral part of their conversations. Their story is as inspiring as it is entertaining. But that’s not the only thing they talk about. They are ready to storm their brains and have a session about anything meaningful. ‘Jesus and Jollof’ is a great time and you can listen to this podcast here.
15. The Great Girlfriends (2015- present)
Do you want some guidance about your uncertain career, or do you want some advice for your love life? Women have a gift of multi-tasking, but sometimes, life throws so much stuff at you at once that you need to dial down a bit and rely on someone else to provide you with some solution. Brandice Daniel and Sybil Amuti are here for you. In every episode, they provide awesome solutions, one problem at a time. By the end of the episode, not only will you come out with a fresh perspective but will also have had a great time. You can listen to ‘The Great Girlfriends’ here.
14. No Man’s Land (2018- present)
Kings who tried to conquer the world, pirates who terrorized the seas, men who fought for the world, gangsters who painted the streets red, and then some. History is full of such characters and it seems to repeat itself a lot. If you need a break from this, then let me turn your attention towards some of the most badass women that no one tells you about. A Harlem gangster to the most famous black woman in America and how some major women’s social clubs helped shape history — these are the stories that you hear about in this podcast. You can listen to all episodes of ‘No Man’s Land’ here.
13. Black Girl in Om (2016- present)
Hosted by Lauren Ash and Deun Ivory, ‘Black Girl in Om’ is custom made for women of colour. Its various episodes are a discussion of things like health-care, beauty tips, self-appreciation, lifestyle, and everything else that you want to know about. The guests of the podcast come from various fields and are accomplished names that give you great advice and inspire you to do awesome things with your life. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
12. Nerdette (2013- present)
Has it ever happened to you that your nerdism has not been taken seriously because you are a girl? Your love for movies, TV shows, video games, science, maths, or whatever else you are interested in finds a rightful appreciation in ‘Nerdette’. Your favourite books, the science magazine you find the best and the discussion of the latest episode of ‘Game of Thrones’ (Wait! That ship has sailed.), everything has a place in this great podcast. You can listen to all episodes here.
11. Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso (2015- present)
Has life been a bit hard on you recently? Do you feel like you need some serious inspiration, blended into some fun conversations, to pump up your spirit and get you back on the battlefield? ‘Girlboss Radio’ is the podcast that you should turn to. It features Sophia Amoruso and Neha Gandhi in conversation with some very accomplished women about the troubles they have faced in their lives and how they have overcome them to be where they are right now. Charlize Theron, Courtney Love, Cassandra Grey and Alli Webb are some women that give you life lessons. You can listen to all the episodes here.
10. 2 Dope Queens (2016- 2018)
‘2 Dope Queens’ is a double bonanza. It not only talks about woman power but is also a huge shout-out to black power. Hosts Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson host a variety of talented people to talk about some serious stuff that affects everyone to the silly stuff that we can have a good laugh about. One of the things to be in their focus is a representation. Most of their guests are females, people of colour or LGBT comedians. The podcast received a four-episode special from HBO, which aired in 2018. You can listen to the podcast here.
9. Ctrl Alt Delete (2016- present)
This WEBBY nominated podcast is hosted by Emma Gannon. Here, she talks about a lot of things — from politics to the internet. She discusses the massive wave of feminism and the importance of mental healthcare. From career and personal problems to social media and other stuff, ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’ has almost everything covered. Every episode features a celeb with whom Gannon indulges in a discussion. Lena Dunham, Stevie Martin, Miranda Sawyer and Gillian Anderson are some of the names that have been a part of the podcast. You can listen to all its episodes here.
8. Women Rule (2017- present)
Everyone needs a good encouragement, every now and then. How to make it in a tough career, especially the male-dominated one? How to strike a balance between personal and professional life? How to let people know that “bossy” is a synonym for “taking initiative”? Every episode of ‘Women Rule’ features a woman who has already been through this stuff and conquered it like the awesome queens they are. You can learn about it by listening to the podcast here.
7. How to Fail with Elizabeth Day (2018- present)
What is more important than celebrating a victory? Learning from your failures. Whatever you set out to do will always be clouded by a chance of failure. Anyone can be a successful person who gloats in their glory, but to take failure like a pro is a talent that only a few have. And these are the people who reach the finish line and get what they want, no matter how long it takes. In ‘How to Fail’, Elizabeth Day interviews some people who tell their failure stories and how it changed their lives for the better. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
6. Stuff Mom Never Told You (2009- present)
The topic of equality between men and women often comes under scrutiny and the ones opposed to it give the argument that the difference in the physicality of both genders renders them unequal by design. Fine, but what about the brain? How does puberty work differently for the sexes? Marriage, unequal wages, birth control (for both men and women), the point of perfumes, feminism, breast cancer, anti-ageing creams — these are only a handful of issues discussed in ‘Stuff Mom Never Told You’. It is one of the essential podcasts for women; and you can listen to all its episodes here.
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5. Bodies (2018- present)
One of the most important things that one needs to focus on is their health, both mental and physical. We often neglect our problems because they seem minor and fleeting, but such ignorance can be a cause of huge problems in the long run. ‘Bodies’ educates on a great number of things, even the ones that we wouldn’t normally discuss with others. You can listen to all the episodes of this podcast here.
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4. The History Chicks (2011- present)
History books are dominated by male characters, and sometimes it feels like women barely existed in the past. Where are there stories? Screw the books written by biased men! If you want to know about the women who influenced history and are only mentioned in passing, you need to listen to ‘The History Chicks’. This great history podcast brings some breathtaking stories of awesome women to you. From Helen Keller to Ella Fitzgerald and Katherine of Aragon to Anne Boleyn, it is time for you to know more about them than just their names. You can listen to the podcast here.
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3. The Guilty Feminist (2015- present)
As simple the concept of feminism is, it is hard for some people to grasp the idea of it. People who don’t understand it (simply because they are not even trying to), find all sorts of ways to make you question your own stance and wonder if you have got the meaning right yourself! When in such doubt, turn to ‘The Guilty Feminist’. What does it mean? Is there any wrong way to interpret the idea? How much marred is it with hypocrisy? And most importantly, how can you get better at it? Find out by listening to the podcast here.
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2. How to Be A Girl (2014- present)
We all propagate stereotyping by applying it to kids the moment they are born. Girls should wear pink; a boy’s room should be painted blue. Girls play with dolls; boys play with toy cars. We fix everything for them and when they grow up, they are expected to break the same typecasting that has defined their lives. But some parents are more considerate than that. In ‘How to Be a Girl’, a single mom tells the story of her transgender daughter and how different life has been for them because of them not falling in line with the norms. You can listen to the podcast here.
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1. Unladylike (2018- present)
Stereotyping is a common practice in society. How to talk, walk, behave, think, make career choices, live your life — there is nothing that is not defined by the norms pre-set by society. Women are often on the receiving end of the “you’re expected to…” stuff. If you too are tired of hearing all this and want someone to understand how you feel, listen to ‘Unladylike’. Cristin Conger and Caroline Ervin reunite for some fun sessions to discuss what it actually means to be a woman. And instead of giving you lectures on irrelevant things, they give you serious advice on the issues that aren’t otherwise addressed by people who want you to “behave like a lady”. You can listen to the podcast here.
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