It’s International Women’s Day! So what better way to celebrate than to soak up heaps of rad content that's created by women, for women? Here are our top picks for this year's festivities.

EMMA DO, EDITOR
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You Being the Caroline Polachek stan that I am, I’ve been smashing her new record Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. You absolutely have to respect a woman who can weave Celtic folk melodies, a Grimes and Dido feature and a full bagpipe solo into a cohesive, irresistibly poppy album.

Women in pop music are often seen as just singers or performers, but aren’t fully appreciated for their artistry. That’s why I love Caroline – she’s an incredible producer and so unapologetically precise in how she executes her creative vision. Also, she’s been around for ages, plugging away at her craft and constantly evolving her musical language. I’ll be spinning her tunes this IWD not only because she pens certified bangers, but because she inspires me to trust my own creativity.

IRIS MCPHERSON, MARKETING COODINATOR
The Girls Bathroom This is a weekly podcast from two besties, Sophia and Cinzia, who talk about dilemmas that listeners send in. Just like a girl’s bathroom on a night out, it's full of advice and gossip (but with the bonus of me not having to leaving the house to get it). The podcast is a good laugh. Plus, Sophia and Cinzia are always uplifting, promote independence, and don’t take shit from anyone!

Abbott Elementary Created by Quinta Brunson, this TV series is a mockumentary about the teachers in a poorly funded, predominately black public school. Quinta has created a wonderful show that tackles issues in the US schooling system, but mixes it with humour through her characters. 

Do You F***ing Mind Hosted by Alexis Fernandez (a smart cookie who holds a Masters in Neuroscience), this podcast empowers us to be the best versions of ourselves. She gives advice on self-love, self-growth, relationships and positive mindsets. She talks about how our brains are wired through our thoughts and actions, and how to re-wire them to be our best selves.

EMILY NAISMITH, BRANDED CONTENT DIRECTOR
Chinese-ish by Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu This IWD, I’ll most likely be cooking something from my favourite cookbook at the moment, Chinese-ish by Rosheen Kaul (head chef at Melbourne's Etta) and Joanna Hu (illustrator). The first thing I made from it was a Northern Chinese dish called ‘Three Earthy Treasures’ which involves fried potato, crunchy capsicum and the softest, most garlicky eggplant ever. It was off the hook!

I love the personal stories throughout the book, but even the chapter names have so much personality (for example, “A few desserts we don’t hate”). The next dish I’m keen to try is creamy tofu noodles with soy-vinegar dressing and the smashed cucumber salad, firstly because they both involve black Chinese vinegar (my current food obsession) and secondly because I feel like I could get some patriarchy-based frustration out by smashing cucumbers with a cleaver, as the recipe suggests. 

CLAIRE MULLINS, PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER
Lady Bird and Brazen Hussies This IWD I’ll be settling on the couch for some quality viewing by, and about, some incredible feminist thinkers. First up, Lady Bird.  One of my all-time favourite movies, written and directed by Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird depicts that often fraught bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. They are both wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed women. Definitely traits worth celebrating on IWD.

I’ll then shuffle over on the couch to make room for my daughters to join me in watching Brazen Hussies. I’ve been meaning to catch this one for a while, and what better day? Brazen Hussies takes a deep-dive into the women’s Liberation movement here in Australia, and the personal stories behind the inspiring/brave/wonderful group of women behind it. This’ll be a night of viewing that definitely passes the Bechdel Test!

SHANNON JENKINS, ASSISTANT EDITOR AND DIGITAL EDITOR
The Polyester Podcast Hosted by Polyester zine’s Ione Gamble and Eden Young, this pod dissects current issues and trends in the feminism, pop culture and arts space in a super-refreshing way. I usually tune in whenever I want to feel more informed about a certain topic, or simply to hear a bit of banter between two mates. In-depth analysis, but make it sugary.

The Space Between the Stars by Indira Naidoo A loved one gifted me this for Christmas and I have been waiting to finally dig into it. What better occasion than IWD? It comes with a trigger warning: Aussie journo Indira Naidoo wrote The Space Between the Stars after her youngest sister, during a COVID lockdown, took her own life. In her grief, Indira finds herself turning to nature to heal. Though the book obviously contains a lot of heartbreak, there’s plenty of joy and wisdom in there, too.

ALICE BUDA, ART DIRECTOR
People Who Lunch: Essays on Work, Leisure and Loose Living by Sally Olds I recently heard a really good review about this book on 3RRR and instantly went out and bought it. I'm about a quarter of the way through it and I'm totally hooked by the writing style and the topics covered (which include what work does to us and what post-work could look like, how human connection has evolved, polyamory, cryptocurrency and heaps more).

The book is relatable, but it’s also teaching me a bunch of new things. Plus, it's pretty witty – I've laughed out loud a couple of times already. As a visual person, I also really like how the cover looks!

MOLLY CONDON, PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
Ctrl and SOS by SZA There’s no one I’m listening to as much as SZA, particularly her albums CTRL and SOS. Her voice is so ethereal, it has me totally captivated and mesmerised. She puts raw and deep emotion into every song and I really admire her ability to be so open about her experiences and insecurities with the world.  I find that she does not sensor herself or try to make herself ‘perfect’ which makes her music so relatable. It’s for these reasons she’s my recommendation for IWD! 

CAITLYN BENDALL, DESIGNER
Everything I Know About Love (the book by Dolly Alderton and the TV adaption) I started watching the TV show just by chance because I'd finished the previous series I was watching and the blurb piqued my interest. I think I binged it in a week – it reminded me of Sally Rooney's TV adaptions, but grungier. I feel like a lot of people would relate to it as an honest look at how life can be messy as you grow through your ‘20s without apologising for it. Then I found out it was a book, so that's now at the top of my reading list.

Bump Co-created by Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro, Bump is such a fantastic Australian TV show and also has a fabulous soundtrack that features many Aussie artists (like my current music obsession, Maddy Jane). It’s an easy watch with lots of perfectly-nuanced commentary on societal expectations and love, with a lot of humour thrown in. Can't go wrong.