The female DJ community has come a long way in recent years, and this is largely thanks to the role models who have inspired generations of women to get behind the decks. The first prominent female DJ was Debbie Harry, who began her career in the late 70s. Harry was instrumental in paving the way for female DJs, and her influence is still felt today. As one of the first female DJs to break into the industry, Harry was a pioneer, and her success paved the way for other women to follow.

By the late 80s and the 90s, a wave of powerful female DJs had emerged. DJs like Sandra Collins, DJ Rap, Shelley Anderson, and Heather Heart showcased their talents in clubs around the world, broadcasting their skills to an international audience. They were role models to many aspiring female DJs, and their influence was key in the success of the female DJ scene today. In the 2000s, more female DJs began to make their mark, such as DJ Latasha, DJ Skribble, and Diplo. These DJs were some of the first to be signed to major labels, and their success was a major boost for female DJs. They showed that it was possible for women to be successful in the music industry and made a lasting impact on the industry. In recent years, the female DJ scene has exploded with the emergence of talents like Annie Mac, Maya Jane Coles, Liejin, Rekkha and Friction. These DJs have been instrumental in broadening the appeal of the female DJ, and they continue to be an inspiration for aspiring women DJs all over the world.

The modern female DJ scene is one of the most vibrant and successful in the industry, and it can all be traced back to the role models that came before. Female DJs were once a rarity, but nowadays they are respected and appreciated for the music they make. They're succeeding in a male-dominated industry, and they've earned their place among the legends of dance music.

In this lecture at Sample Music Festival 2017, DJ Freshfluke was laying out the "Herstory" of DJing. There were many female DJs during the last decades, but in public reception they only played a marginal role (if any).

With selected videos, she gave examples of strong role models, reflected on the question of whether gender makes a difference behind the decks, and spiced it up with some anecdotes from her own long-term DJing life.