The Best Podcasts for Women, Made by Women

Last Updated on July 7, 2022

A list of great podcasts for women, that are made and presented by women. For those days when you need to listen to someone who gets you.

Some days, I truly feel like men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.

Seriously, there are days when talking to my husband, father, or brother just feels like I'm not being heard or seen.

I know that they don't intend this outcome (this is not true for all men, all the time, but for these ones in particular).

Over the years, I've realized that, as much as they know me and I know them, I simply see things differently (and certainly feel things differently) because of my female perspective. And hormones. (Good God, the hormones).

And there are definitely days when I am listening to one of my favorite podcasts, and the male host says something that just doesn't jive with me. When I'm like, "Really?!?!" On those days, I need a podcast for women.

When I first wrote this post back in 2017, many of the podcasts that were hosted by women were actually being produced by men, and paid for by companies in which men had a say about the content. There weren't a ton of shows that spoke to women's issues or relied solely on female perspectives and voices.

When I published this post back then, it almost went viral; that's how excited women were to see these shows being highlighted.

The good news is that things have drastically changed. Now that podcasting isn't just for audio nerds or companies with deep pockets, there are countless podcasts made by women, for women, about topics that are especially important to women. I'm thrilled to be able to add so many quality podcasts to this list.

The podcasts I'm recommending below are ones I especially love or that don't get featured on the "Best Of" lists. They serve different purposes: to educate, empower, spotlight, or simply connect with women. No matter your age, background, or interests, there's something here for you.

The Best Podcasts for Women

We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle

Y'all, until early 2020, I thought Glennon Doyle was a man. (The irony in this cannot be overstated.) I had heard her name here and there, but I had not read her books or heard a single interview with her. And then one day I heard an interview with her wife on the Hello, Monday podcast, and I thought, "Waiiiiit a minute..."

So I did a little Googling. And then I downloaded one of Glennon's books. And then an audiobook. Now, Tuesdays and Thursdays (when episodes of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast drop) are my two favorite days of the week.

Glennon hosts the podcast with her sister Amanda (Glennon lovingly calls "Sister"). Her wife Abby Wambach also co-hosts regularly.

As a writer and professional speaker, Glennon talks about growing up under the influence of societal and patriarchal expectations about women's roles, worth, and appearances, and how those expectations led to years of destructive behavior and self-sabatoge. The podcast covers how much damage these ideas cause women and girls, with each of the co-hosts bringing their own experiences and ideas to the table.

If you're looking for a podcast that will make you feel seen as a women, this is it. We Can Do Hard Things is compassionate and thoughtful, and considers women of all walks of life, age, race, sexual orientation, and more.

Try this episode: FRIENDSHIP: What it is and why we need it now more than ever

Satellite Sisters

This podcast is hosted by three real-life sisters. They've been hosting a radio show-turned podcast together since 2000. (They have two other sisters who regularly make appearances on the show, too).

The Dolan sisters started their show because their connection as sisters—and women—is what helps them navigate life. Through good times and bad, and as they develop into different roles in life, they are there to support one another.

Satellite Sisters is like sitting down with your closest girlfriends (or your actual sisters, if you've got 'em). They discuss everything from current events, parenting, work/life balance, and more.

Try their the most recent episode

Happier in Hollywood

Happier In Hollywood is one of my favorite weekly podcasts (I've written about the show here and here).

The co-hosts of the show have been friends since high school, and after college they moved to Los Angeles to become television writers. They have been writing partners ever since.

The foundation of the podcast is built around career advice for writers, but it is so much more than that. Liz Craft and Sarah Fain share life advice and hacks, their personal failures, and how they’re getting through each season of life.

Each episode is broken into segments, which keeps the show moving quickly. It’s lighthearted even when the topics are serious, and they have built a supportive community of listeners, too!

Try this episode: Pulling the Ripcord and the Beauty of an Unexpected Interlude

Happier with Gretchen Rubin

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. There are two Happier podcasts in a row.

The Happier in Hollywood podcast mentioned above is actually a spinoff of the long-running Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast. Gretchen is a writer and podcaster who focuses on habits, happiness, and human nature. Her sister, Liz Craft, is her co-host on the show.

Gretchen's website explains that she uses "cutting-edge science, the wisdom of the ages, lessons from popular culture, and her own experiences to explore how we can make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative."

The show drops one full-length episode every week, and it's organized by segments, which I find so comforting. There are also a few mini episodes each week, in which Gretchen shares a quote or a random thought that she has had, and the lesson that can be learned from it.

Gretchen's insights about human nature really hit home, and even serious topics are talked about with levity and some laughter. I always learn something from the Happier podcast, and I put the advice and suggestions to use in many parts of my life.

Try episode 347: Consider: It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature

Women Who Travel Podcast

I first discovered this podcast from a social media post about the episode titled The Best Books We Read Last Year (I'm a sucker for anything book-related).

After listening to that episode, I was hooked, and binged through about a dozen previous episodes.

The show is hosted by two female editors from Conde Nast Traveler, and they usually include 1-2 guests per episode. The women come from a variety of backgrounds and have different travel styles.

There is truly something for EVERY kind of woman on this podcast. I'm always impressed with how well they mix things up, making the show feel inclusive in a natural way.

Try this episode: How to Actually Enjoy Your Next Work Trip

Read my full review of the Women Who Travel Podcast

Time Out (A Fair Play Podcast)

If being a woman in your world means doing most of the heavy lifting for your household and family, then you'll want to check out the Time Out podcast. Time Out is hosted by Eve Rodsky, author of the book Fair Play.

Fair Play is the book in which Eve describes how fed up she was with doing all the shopping and doctors appointments and permission slips in family. Her solution: she made a gigantic, multi-tab spreadsheet of all the unpaid, invisible work she did for her family, then emailed the spreadsheet to her husband. Spoiler alert: this didn't solve the problem, but it shed light on a real issue in her family—and in societies all over the world—in which people treat women's time like it's infinite.

The Time Out podcast is an extension of the book, featuring Eve's personal anecdotes, the strategies that have helped to balance the share of household duties between her and her husband, and science-based tips and solutions introduced by the show's co-host, physician Aditi Nerurkar.

This podcast encourages every woman to carve out time for themselves, making room for rest, creativity, and fun. And if that's a total struggle for you because you're doing all the things for all the people, then Eve's straightforward, no-nonsense attitude will make you feel seen and heard.

Start with Episode 1 (Tiny Betrayals) and listen in order.

PERIOD Podcast

The podcast about periods.

Whenever I mention this podcast, people—both men and women—are like, "Are you serious?"

YES, I'm serious. There are podcasts about every other topic on Earth, so why shouldn't there be a podcast about the thing that most women are forced to endure every. single. month?

This show is hosted by Kate Clancy, an anthropologist who studies all thing related to female biology. She knows that talking openly about periods is taboo. She also knows that's why we should be talking about it.

The podcast covers serious science, weird animal studies, cultural differences around periods, and more, all in a lighthearted—and often funny—way.

Try this episode: Episode 11: Hormones make it rain

This podcast is no longer in production.

Bodies

Here's another podcast that is super specific to women's bodies. This show is a bit more serious than the PERIOD podcast mentioned above, but host Allison Behringer is an incredibly powerful and compassionate storyteller.

Each episode of Bodies focuses on a woman who has dealt with a difficult—and often scary—situation with her body.

Even if you can’t completely relate to a certain woman’s story, you’ll definitely learn things you didn’t know about the female body, the medical field, and society as a whole.

Try this episode: Anxious Mess (I was shocked by some of the information I learned in this episode.)

Ladies, We Need To Talk

This is another podcast that isn't afraid to talk about topics that are usually off-limits. Host Yumi Stynes has no problem digging into the ways in which women approach, or are affected by, life's challenges.

From excessive drinking to the struggles of motherhood, to mental overwhelm and masturbation, this podcast is like a digital therapy session. Yumi interviews woman after woman on each topic, which helps you realize that you are not alone.

My favorite thing about this show is how completely relatable Yumi makes it right from the beginning of each episode. The opening of the episode I'm recommending (below) is both hilarious and so real that many of you might think you wrote it yourself!

Try this episode: Has anyone seen my labido?

The Lazy Genius Podcast

If you tend to overthink every small task or decision, the Lazy Genius host Kendra Adachi wants to help you. Her motto is to be a genius about the things that matter, and be lazy about the things that don't.

The key to this idea is that what matters to YOU may be different than what matters to everyone else, and that that's okay! But being okay doesn't make it easy, and Kendra gets that.

I love this podcast because it covers everything from throwing a birthday party and making a meal plan, to decorating for the holidays and taking a road trip with kids. She even has an episode about making a music playlist (something that matters to HER).

If juggling the daily tasks of life is particularly tough for you, Kendra has great strategies for keeping you on-task and organized.

This show is great for women of all ages and lifestyles (Kendra is a mother, but you don’t have to have kids to learn from her advice). She's also adorably entertaining.

Try this episode: The Lazy Genius Weekly Plan

Companion Book: The Lazy Genius Way

Kendra wrote a book, titled The Lazy Genius Way, and it's one of my favorite books of all time. It takes what she does in the podcast and bumps it up a notch, teaching you 13 Lazy Genius Principles that you can use for just about any situation.

I waited to buy this book until it was on sale, and then I kicked myself for not buying it sooner! Get yourself a copy ASAP!

Buy on Amazon.com
Buy on Bookshop.org

RomCom Pods

If you love a good romantic comedy movie, you will love RomCom Pods. This fiction podcast features a cast of characters that we’ve all encountered before (in real life and on the big screen!).

Season 1 of RomCom Pods has a very “Under the Tuscan Sun” vibe to it. It's funny and a bit predictable, but a guilty-please escape from every day life.

There are 3 seasons of the show, each with 7 episodes, and it's all so bingeable.

Start with Episode 1 of Season 1 and listen in order

Nerdette

I do not self-identify as a nerd, but I have a lot of female friends who do. And there are a lot of nerdy podcasts out there—hosted by guys. This is why the Nerdette podcast plugs a very important hole.

The show's hosts interview authors, actors, directors, and more—some male, some female. Yup, there are men on this podcast. But they are interviewed from a girl nerd's perspective, which makes it acceptable.

If you liked BuzzFeed's Another Round podcast (RIP), you'll probably like Nerdette.

Try this episode: Forget Cats: Jenny Slate Is A Plant Lady

Sistah Speak

Sistah Speak has produced more than 600 podcast episodes, most of which follow popular television series like Big Brother, The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. There are 4 sistahs, and they team up in different combinations for each show.

Sistah Speak's goal is to "to provide diversity of thought and commentary within the podcast community", filling the gap when it comes to a Black women's perspectives (especially when it comes to reality TV here in the US).

I recommend digging into the Sistah Speak website to find the right podcast for you (I STILL haven't watched GOT, so I can't recommend anything related to it).

Or you can try this an episode from their After Show podcast, which features all four Sistahs talking about current events, TV and movies, and other things that are on their minds.

Everything Is Fine

I turned 40 a couple of years ago, and yes, it made me want to listen to more podcasts that tackle the topic of women, aging, and society's expectations.

The Everything is Fine podcast covers all of these topics, from the perspectives of the co-hosts (one in her 40s and one in her 50s), and their guests. Topics range from beauty and fashion for "older" women to career advice, weight issues, and failure.

All of the women are extremely honest about their experiences as women over the decades, and how aging has affected them both personally and professionally. Co-host Tally Abecassis is particularly curious and candid.

Try this episode: Meet Tally and Kim (the first episode of the show, with an intro to the co-hosts and a deep chat about what the podcast is all about)

Women of the Hour

Lena Dunham is a vocal feminist who has created a ton of different projects (websites, TV shows, podcasts) for women. Her show Women of the Hour is no longer in production, but it's still worth listening to the older episodes.

Episode topics range from friendship and love, to work, emotional well-being, and body issues. The guest interviews are eye-opening, and the production quality is top-notch.

Check out Women of the Hour

Heads up: The Women of the Hour podcast feed features a few sneak peaks at Lena's current podcast, The C-Word (in which "C" stands for "crazy", a word often used to describe women). The C-Word is only available for paying members of the Luminary podcast community.

Check Out These Other Posts:

• 9 Guilty Pleasure Podcasts for Women
• 3 Thought-Provoking Relationship Podcast Episodes That Will Challenge You
• 3 Best Advice Podcasts for Real-Life Problems

Currently Reading Podcast

I've always wanted to join a book club, but never have. I was too chicken to join one when I was younger, and now I travel so much throughout the year that I would be an absentee member (and nobody likes those).

So, every Monday, when a new episode of Currently Reading pops into my podcast player, I treat it like my own personal book club!

Currently Reading was started by two female friends who love to talk about all things books and reading. They have added two new co-hosts, and all four women rotate in and out of the episodes, adding their own reading style and recommendations to the mix.

This podcast quickly became a favorite of mine, and I'm not alone: they've built a huge community of fans online. I especially enjoy hearing their thoughts and opinions about books in genres that I wouldn't normally read, or that I used to think were geared more towards men.

If you love to read, and you're interested in book recommendations (or you're like me and you want to be part of a book club), this podcast is for you.

Try this episode: Our Best Books of 2019

Honorable Mentions

It was difficult to choose the right shows for the list above, because there are many phenomenal podcasts for women out there. Here are even more female-hosted podcasts that focus on women to check out:

• The Female Struggle is Real (a show that tackles things only ladies can understand)
• First Day Back, Season 1 (previously mentioned in Short Podcasts for When You Only Have 20 Minutes and soooo good)
• Alone: A Love Story (I feel like this show is best understood by women)
• Female Mixing Engineers (this topic is completely out of my wheelhouse, but I love that this show is about females in a mostly male-dominated industry)
• My Best Breakup (featuring funny and thoughtful stories of women who have faced tough situations in life and love)

Do you have another recommendation for a great podcast for women? Leave a comment below (you can even include a link to the show!)

Don't forget to check out the Gift Guide for Women Who Love Podcasts