Before women eventually sneaked into the role of pan player, the jamettes were forced to be reckoned with and the cause of many a steelband clash when in the role flag-wavers they were challenged the flag woman of the rival band coming in the opposite direction or crossing a junction. They sometimes carried weapons of their bad john men concealed on their person from the police. They were fierce adversaries, bubulups, Jean in Town, Mayfield Vero and other carried trouble around with them and caused much mischief by "friending" with rankers from rival bands or the same band.
When one looks at a modem steelband the ratio of men to women is almost balanced ,this is in no small way the results of Pan Trinbago's effort at producing school and junior music festivals and Panorama started from the late seventies to the present time . Girls at the secondary school level, more often than not, are more participatory in the extra-curricular activity and this became evident in the steelband competitions and is reflected in the composition of today's band. The pioneer pan women were either family members of the leaders or very brave and determined personalities. Some of the early women players were Eugenia Thomas ,Norma Callender , Daisy James ,and Dotsy Perez. Jocelyn Pierre arranged for Invader in the late fifties assisted by her brother Gaston "Baby " Pierre who also played pan Martin Albino was the arranger for Suvoys of Success Village Laventille and his sister Merle Albino De Coteau could not resist the temptation to join him in the yard and eventually to get totally involved with the steelband .Both women became prominent judges of steelband competitions afterwards .A group of young Bishop Anstey students led by Hazel Headley and Pat Maurice ventured to borrow some pans from Invaders and with the assistance of Ellie Mannette formed the first recognized all girls steel orchestra "Girl Pat" with their formal music training they were able to make a lasting impact on the steelband world and break both the class and gender barriers which has helped other women like Valley Harps arranger school teacher ,Michelle Huggins -Watts to become an icon among her male counterparts.
There are many young ladies involved in learning to play the pan in different organizations .The late Pioneer Oscar Pile was instrumental in starting an all girls steelband in St. Jude's reformatory next door to Casablanca steelband even before the girls began making waves around the country. Today women are prominent in every aspect of the steelband and gender discrimination is a thing of the past .