22 Best Podcasts for Women (2018)
22 Best Podcasts for Women in 2018
The amazing thing about podcasts is that, like books, movies, and TV shows, there is a podcast for everyone. Which is why we came up with a list of 22 of the best podcasts for women in 2018.
Are you interested in learning Spanish? An iTunes search will reveal plenty for you pick through! Want a good original sci-fi story? There are so many to choose from! How about something to help you learn to meditate or listen to the daily news or anything else you can possibly think of!
Podcasts are becoming, more and more, a preferred method of consuming media because it doesn't require the visual component. You can listen to podcasts while you drive, do the dishes, or work on a craft, and you can even learn something in the process.
A few of the podcasts on this list will teach you something too, while others will just make you laugh, some will make you cry, and just maybe one will make you believe again. Read on to discover our choices for the best podcasts for women!
1. Stuff You Missed In History Class
Brought to you by How Stuff Works, Stuff You Missed in History Class is a weekly blast into the past hosted by Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey. Together, they cover historical topics from shadow animator Lotte Reiniger to the peculiar Ladies of Llangollen to mysterious sculptor Edmonia Lewis.
2. Beginner
Beginner is a one-of-a-kind experience. The Guardian says it brings "oodles of joy," and the podcast itself says that it is all about "learning to belong." We have to say we agree. Beginner chronicles Mischa Euceph's adjustment to American life after immigrating from Pakistan at 24. In the podcast, Mischa learns to do things she never learned to do as a child, such as ride a bike. Season 2, which is also the final season, while come out soon.
3. Nancy
Nancy is a rare podcast in that the two hosts are both Asian American and queer. In the very first episode when they introduce themselves, they say that people probably automatically assume they are white, but they aren't. They are Tobin Low and Kathy Tu, "two best friends, neither of whom are named Nancy." The podcast a variety of important stories relevant to "the queer experience today."
4. Terrible, Thanks For Asking
Terrible, Thanks For Asking with Nora McInerny, is a "funny/sad/uncomfortable" podcast about grief and "talking honestly about our pain, our awkwardness, and our humanness." In McInerny's own works, she doesn't "want small talk...I want the big talk." That's pretty brave considering she lost her father and husband and also had a miscarriage all with a period of about six weeks. The podcast seeks to
5. Wine and Crime
Wine and Crime is simply a fun podcast. A true crime and comedy hybrid, the podcast is hosted by three childhood best friends, Amanda, Kenyon, and Lucy. Each episode has a true crime theme, such as "Evil Twins," "Faked Abductions," and "Lesser Known Cults," which then gets paired with a wine then fits the theme. Both the episode theme and wine are well-researched and explained to the listener and then each host presents a crime that fits the theme.
6. Criminal
Criminal first launched in 2014 and is hosted by Phoebe Judge. While Criminal is another true crime podcast, it isn't your typical one. Each episode is more like a work of literature than a gory crime. Vulture describes Criminal as a "true crime podcast that understands crime as something sociological, historical, even anthropological - that crime is a function of people, time, and place…there are few shows that feel more alive."
7. Invisibilia
Invisibilia is a podcast that is difficult to describe. The name comes from the Latin for "invisible things," which is what the podcast itself focuses on. Hosted by Hanna Rosin and Alix Spiegel, Invisibilia strives to uncover the invisible things involved in humanity - our ideas, assumptions, beliefs, memories, dreams, and hopes.
8. Death, Sex and Money
Death, Sex, and Money is a podcast "about the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation."
Hosted by Anna Sale, the podcast was created as a way to talk about the things people often think about but don't say aloud, including relationships, infidelity, mental illness, gender identity, death, and so much more.
9. HerMoney
Her Money is a financial podcast geared toward the financial issues women face in their daily lives. Hosted by Sheri Lynch and Kris Carroll, a certified financial planner, they cover a variety of topics like whether it is okay to buy a house if you still have student debt, how to invest, how share financial responsibility, and more.
10. Appearance Matters
Brought to you from the Centre for Appearance Research at UWE Bristol, Appearance Matters explores all things that have to do with a person's appearance. Guests of the podcast include researchers, organizations, charities, clinicians, and those affected by "appearance-related concerns." Past episodes include "Eating Disorder Prevention," "Social Media and Body Image," and "The Colour of Beauty."
11. Nerdette
Nerdette is a fun, geeky podcast hosted by Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnson. The website states that it is a "safe space for nerding out about all the things you're watching, reading, listening to and encountering in real life." Tricia and Greta talk to various people about the things they're really into, whatever that may be.
12. Love and Radio
Love and Radio is a monthly interview podcast by Nick van der Kolk. The interviews range in subject matter, from "the seedy to the sublime." Radiolab describes it as "a cosmic pollen cloud of audio awesomeness. I'm constantly amazed when I listen. As storytelling, it's breaking new ground."
13. Modern Love
Based on the popular New York Times column of the same name, the Modern Love podcast is hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti and Daniel Jones. Like the column, the podcast explores "the joys and tribulations of love" and expands upon the column itself with readings and updates from essayists.
14. Dear Sugar Radio
Dear Sugar is a podcast based on Cheryl Strayed's advice column of the same name. In addition to Strayed, Steve Almond also hosts the podcast. The podcast has the same goal as the Dear Sugar column - to offer "radically empathetic advice" to listeners "no matter how deep or dark" it may be.
15. A Piece of Work
A Piece of Work is an art podcast brought to you by WNYC Studios and MoMA. Hosted by Abbi Jacobson (yep, that is Abbi from Broad City), the podcast covers everything about modern and contemporary art you always wanted to know "but were too afraid to ask."
16. 2 Dope Queens
Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams are 2 Dope Queens and their podcast is pretty dope too. Their podcast features some of their favorite comedians, including Maria Bamford, Jean Grae, Ilana Glazer, and Hari Kondabolu, as they talk about a ton of different things. Things like race, hair, New York City, and, weirdly, Billy Joel.
17. #GirlBoss Radio with Sophia Amoruso
Girlboss Radio is brought to you by Girlboss, the feminist phenomenon created by Sophia Amoruso. Girlboss has the goal to help millennial women improve their lives, both professionally and personally. The podcast covers a variety of topics, such as what it is like to find out you have bipolar disorder, gaslighting, and self-sabotage.
18. Between Us Girls
Described as "raw and unfiltered," Between Us Girls is a snapshot of real conversations between women. The show balances heavier topics, like feminism and politics, and lighter ones, and it is obvious that they are all close and care deeply for each other.
19. Stuff Mom Never Told You
Hosted by Bridget Todd and Anney Reese, Stuff Mom Never Told You is a "research-driven rundown of the ever-evolving challenges facing women today and throughout history, paired with smart, strategic solutions to further women's lives, careers and activism."
20. Kerning Cultures
The folks at Kerning Cultures grew up in the Middle East with the international media pigeonholing the region. The goal of the podcast is to tell stories in which "we can actually see ourselves, the kinds of stories we want to discuss with our friends over warm cups of coffee on cozy sofas." The name of the podcast comes from typography in which it is a process of sizing the spaces between letters in a font.
21. My Favorite Murder
A true crime comedy podcast, My Favorite Murder practically began breaking records since it first began in early 2016. Hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the podcast covers two different true crime cases a week, one selected by each host. In addition to the cases, the hosts are strong proponents of mental health awareness and frequently speak about their own struggles.
22. Throwing Shade
Hosted by Erin Gibson, a.k.a. Feminasty, and Bryan Safi, a.k.a. Homosensual, Throwing Shade is a comedy podcast that deals with heavier topics like feminism and LGBT rights with a politically incorrect sense of humor. They describe the podcast as a "look at all the issues important to ladies and gays and treat them with much less respect they deserve."