9 of the Funniest Female Comedians to Watch on Netflix Right Now

Stand-up comedy may still be a boys' club, but there are a lot of smart, hilarious women killing the game. Lately, Netflix has been doing its part to highlight and elevate these invaluable perspectives — including some from the often-still-marginalized LQBTQ+ community — through episodic stand-up shows and one-off specials. Here are just a few of the funniest female comedians to check out on Netflix right now. (Photos via Netflix)

Chelsea Peretti: If you miss Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti on Brooklyn Nine-Nine as much as we do, take this opportunity to watch her Netflix stand-up special, One of the Greats. In her set, Peretti shows off her razor-sharp wit and endearing silliness (the audience cutaways often show dogs, babies, etc., instead of adults enjoying a night of comedy) while musing on the sacrifices she's made throughout her career. The observational jokes are all framed in an over-arching lesson about always being yourself — because that's when you'll truly shine. (Photo via Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AmeriCares)

Ali Wong: Ali Wong spent years making people laugh in smaller late-night appearances, as a guest star on Inside Amy Schumer, and as a writer for well-known shows such as Fresh Off the Boat. Then, on Mother's Day in 2016, at seven months pregnant, she appeared in her first Netflix special, Baby Cobra, where she espoused on parenthood's sexist double standards while keeping things filthy, political, and hilarious. The special made her a star, and she returned with another, Hard Knock Wife (for which she was once again pregnant), in 2018. They're both must-watches. (Photo via Alex Crick/Netflix)

Iliza Shlesinger: Like most stand-up comedians, Iliza Shlesinger mines her personal life for material. Her most recent special, Elder Millennial, takes years of side-splitting romantic foibles and turns them into a sort of torch-passing as she embraces her mid-30s — and a new engagement. The 36-year-old comedian's energy is often unmatched, and at moments in this special, she's at the top of her game. (Photo via Netflix)

Cristela Alonzo: Much like her namesake TV show, Cristela Alonzo's first Netflix special, Lower Classy, deals with growing up in a working-class Mexican-American family, and how that — and the discrimination that followed her because of it — has influenced her perspective on everything from romance to work. We need more voices like hers. Netflix, are you listening? (Photo via Rick Kern/Netflix)

Katherine Ryan: Netflix is gearing up to release the second stand-up special from Katherine Ryan, a Canadian ex-pat now living in England, after her first hour In Trouble — on all things motherhood, pop culture, and relationships — became a hit in 2017. Ryan exudes a confidence that suggests she truly does not care what people think of her (#GOALS), and it's as infectious as it is effective. She's also working on a scripted series for the streaming service about life as a single mom, and she appears in the comedy panel show The Fix. (Photo via Idil Sukan/Netflix)

Aparna Nancherla: Tucked away at the end of season 2 of The Standups is a 30-minute set from Twitter favorite Aparna Nancherla, one of the most cutting comedians on stage today. Her special tackles a variety of topics including gun rights, mental health, everyday anxieties, and the strangeness we're currently facing as a culture. It's certainly not unworn comedic territory, but Nancherla's take feels nonetheless new and noteworthy. (Photo via Saeed Adyani/Netflix)

Maria Bamford: If you haven't familiarized yourself with Maria Bamford's painfully awkward comedic stylings yet, what are you waiting for? The veteran comedian now has two specials and a series, Lady Dynamite, on Netflix, and each may be more bizarre — and entertaining — than the last. Bamford's comedy is a bold lesson in staying true to yourself and your vision, regardless of who you think might be watching. (Photo via Max Gerber/Netflix)

Nicole Byer: Netflix addicts are likely already familiar with Byer because of her hosting role on the hit baking competition/comedy show Nailed It!. She also appears on the episodic show Comedians of the World, bringing her trademark curious and warm personality to the stage for a series of observations on how America treats women — and more specifically, women's bodies. The only downside is that Byer, like every comedian featured on the series, gets only a half-hour here. (Photo via Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Turner)

Amy Schumer: A lot has changed for Schumer since her last Netflix stand-up special, including her marriage and complication-plagued pregnancy. Schumer has also faced some controversy over her material and delivery in recent years, which the comedian recently acknowledged she didn't handle perfectly. So it's with a somewhat new perspective that she confidently, and honestly, tackles her evolving life and more — including, of course, politics — in her brand-new special, Growing. (Photo via Elizabeth Sisson/Netflix)