Packed with inspiring events, powerful calls to action and soaring good vibes, March 8 is always one of the best days of the year. And yep, you shouldn’t need to wait for one specific day to celebrate and empower women—we strive to do that every day—but it’s a necessary reminder to do it come March 8 anyway.
Obviously, there are endless ways to celebrate International Women's Day and get behind all the epic women in your life and beyond, but here’s a slice to get you started. If you’re not able to hit up any socially-distanced live events, then we have you sorted with everything from books to documentaries and films to binge at home.
And because every good binge goes hand in hand with a drool-worthy feast, we've teamed up with DoorDash who are offering 25 per cent off your first order, plus they've curated a list of female-powered businesses to support and order from here on Monday, March 8. You don’t need to tell us twice!
Here's our round-up of everything you need to binge this International Women's Day—or at least kick off your binge fest.
Fire Up These Flicks
Chucking on a film and buttering the popcorn has to be our favourite things, only made better when you’re watching a female-directed movie or a film with a badass female cast. Our latest favourite by far is Promising Young Woman. Directed by Emerald Fennell, this important dark comedy stars Carey Mulligan and is produced by Margot Robbie, so yep, you know you're in for a gripping watch. Dubbed a "revenge film", the story centres around the tragic story of Cassie and wickedly explores the disturbingly dark theme of rape culture.
If you're wanting to keep the powerful female protagonist momentum rolling, we recommend the recent Little Women adaptation by Greta Gerwig, the biopic On the Basis Of Sex directed by Mimi Leder and starring Felicity Jones, and Suffragette (another Carey Mulligan flick) because we should all be schooled on one of the most important female movements towards equality. Really, we could go on forever, but these few should kick-start your binge fest.
Binge These TV Shows
If a film isn’t long enough, don’t worry, you’ll welcome hours of entertainment with these must-watch television series. Catch the seriously-cool Zoe Kravitz in the High Fidelity reboot available to stream on ABC iView. Based on the 2000 film starring John Cusack, this adaption stars Kravitz as the 30-year-old record store owner who navigates tricky romantic relationships—you could totally binge it in one day guilt-free.
For a not-so light-hearted but equally bingeable show, you cannot go past The Handmaid’s Tale starring Elisabeth Moss. Based on the canonical book by Margaret Atwood, this dystopian series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society that treats women as property of the state set in a time that appears to be the not so distant future. If you’re yet to watch this one, get ready for a truly thought-provoking and emotional rollercoaster that stays with you long after you’ve switched off your screen.
And then, of course, there's Euphoria, which not only pioneered an entire generation's makeup look, but also showcases the epic talents of Zendaya, alongside trans teen star Hunter Schafer. It’s a full-blown coming of age series and even if you’ve watched it once before, we reckon it only gets better the second time through.
Order This Food
We don’t know about you, but we love to feast while we binge and DoorDash has us covered in the deliciousness department. This International Women's Day, they’ve curated a list of female-powered restaurants, cafes and businesses you can support and order food from, so even your belly can fly your feminist flag. Available on Monday, March 8, you can head here and search for all the epic businesses near you, but to get you started, we've rounded up a couple of tasty options. For those in Brisbane, get around Hashtag Burgers and Waffles, Burleigh locals should hit up Macro Kitchen for a healthy feed, if you’re in Melbourne check out Tub O’Dough or Nosh, Perth locals need to check out Croff Bakery and our Sydney friends need to try Makanai Ramen Noodle House and Churrasco Coogee.
Get Schooled
Whether you want to learn more about feminist history or the modern injustices women still face today, there’s absolutely a doco out there for you. The top of our list has got to be Period. End Of Sentence. Directed by Rayka Zehtabch, it covers a quiet sexual revolution of Indian women fighting the stigma of menstruation and who begin manufacturing sanitary pads. It’s only 25 minutes long but wow, does it leave a lasting mark.
Keep the education rolling and prepare for all the feels with Netflix doco, Audrie and Daisy. It centres on two teenage girls from different parts of America who were sexually assaulted by boys they considered friends while intoxicated at parties, with both girls then enduring a slew of online harassment, so fair warning—this could be triggering to some.
Lastly, we recommend Michelle Obama’s doco, Becoming. Cue the inspiration as you peek behind the scenes and get a real deep dive into Michelle Obama’s life as she embarks on a 34-city tour that highlights the power of community and sharing our stories.
Turn These Pages
Female authors, powerful protagonists and compelling storylines—yep, settle in with a page-turner and soak up those feminist feels. One of our favourites Ghosts by Dolly Alderton follows the dating life of a woman in her thirties who has to deal with the woes of being the last remaining single friend and the rollercoaster that is modern dating. It’s downright hilarious—like laugh out loud funny—so you know what to do.
If you're looking for something a little more hard-hitting, Miles Franklin award-winning novel, The Yield, written by Wiradjuri author, Tara June Winch is a must. The story follows August Gondiwindi who returns home to Prosperous after the death of her grandfather and learns that the land is to be repossessed by a mining company. Determined to make amends she endeavours to save their land—a journey that leads her to the voice of her grandfather and into the past, and of the stories of her people. If there’s just one book you read this year, make it this one!
Plug Into These Podcasts
If you’ve been on the hunt for some brilliant podcasts to tune into, we have you covered this International Women’s Day—and every day for that matter. First up is pop culture podcast Shameless, hosted by Melbourne journalists Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews. It’s “for smart people who love dumb stuff”, so it's safe to say we love it.
Next up is Jeans And A Nice Top hosted by Sydney queens Ashleigh Austen and Melissa Mason who overanalyse the wild ride that is modern, online dating. Whether you’re single and swiping, taken, or "it’s complicated", you’re bound to love it.
And lastly, Unapologetically Blak is always a winner in our eyes. Hosted by Gomeroi, Gamilaraay woman Ginny (who is also the founder and designer of the amazing Ginny’s Girl Gang) and her mate AJ, a proud Barkindji, Latje Latje, Wakka Wakka woman, this podcast offers an insight into the personal lives and distinctive sisterhood that Blak Australia exists within.
Feast while you binge this International Women’s Day, thanks to DoorDash. Check out their full list of female-powered businesses to support right here on Monday, March 8.
Image credit: Christopher Funk
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