Brighton’s party scene is exceptional.

Its mixture of niche, inclusive venues, set against a picturesque seafront backdrop, provides a hotbed of opportunities for DJs, particularly for those underrepresented in the industry, like women.

Shanny, who did not provide her surname, 33, a teacher and DJ from Brighton said: “I love Brighton. It’s really creatively free and quite open-minded.”

Miri, who did not provide her surname, a 25 year old who works in property and DJs as Mirimixes, said: “the DJing culture is very electric.”

Amid this excitement, women DJs in the city recount the sexism they face in the infamously misogynistic industry – even in Brighton.

As party season approaches, they demand more diversity and accountability for discrimination to ensure women are a level playing field.

Like much of the music industry, DJ culture has lacked diversity.

Miri said: “DJing has always been male-dominated and arguably still is.”

Kate Wildblood, 57, part of DJ duo Wildblood and Queenie said: “Spaces have been male-owned and run.

“Men have traditionally been better paid, and their projects more easily funded.

“This has led to a lot of gatekeeping, and it has made it difficult to find the spaces to play or change from within.”

They explained: “This means fewer women were given opportunities, visibility, or taken seriously.”

Miri added: “This creates a cycle where it’s harder to break through or be recognised in the same way.”

In this culture, women have to go above and beyond to be noticed, especially compared to their male counterparts.

Martha Cox, 23, an educational assistant from Brighton who DJs as DJ KOXX.E said: “There’s this added pressure to be really, really good at the game.

“You just have to excel men and be completely above them in terms of talent, just to be on the same level.”

Shanny said: “Women are constantly questioned about what they bring to the table, but like I am the table.”

Another pressure comes from their appearance; they feel the reception to their music is determined by how they’re presenting themselves visibly, rather than audibly.

Shanny explained: “When I dress up, the guys are like ‘you’re just hot and pressing buttons’.

“But if I’ve got on baggy trousers and a baggy shirt, you don’t stand out – even if you’re playing the same music.”

This is also clear from the reception to DJs on social media – the difference between men and women is glaringly obvious.

Martha said: “I follow two DJs with the exact same skill.

“In her comments, users will be like, ‘Oh, like, you need to stop pulling faces’ and ‘stop trying to look pretty for the camera.’ They’re not even talking about her music.

“But in the man’s comments it’ll be like, ‘you’ve got to prove so much from last time and you’ll make it one day.’ It is so much more supportive.”

This disparity in power has unfortunately fostered a culture of sexual harassment of female DJs.

Skye, who did not give her surname, a 22-year-old medical student who DJs as Skye 777, said: “Once you’ve just finished your DJ set, men can see it as an invitation to touch you to say that you did a good job.

You feel like you might lose a booking if you don’t want to sleep with the person trying to book you.”

Martha also speaks of this discomfort. She said: “I’ve had to leave a venue before because the men in the crowds just became too much. They’d just be staring or trying to grab you.”

Sometimes women feel like they have to resign themselves to uncomfortable situations like these to break through barriers.

Skye said: “Some of us continue working with someone that makes them uncomfortable to get far enough to be able to detach from them once they have a name for themselves.”

But these women are optimistic that things are improving in the industry.

Social media provides a means for women to promote themselves and secure work as it means they are less dependent on male DJs.

Skye attributes her DJ career taking off to Instagram. She said: “People just reached out to me. I’ve not asked anyone for a single booking yet; they have been from my social media.”

Martha agreed: “Instagram is really the most helpful because you obviously have that chat function; you can set it up to be a CV of you. Tiktok is great for more global reach.”

Brighton is spearheading greater diversity in the industry.

Martha said: “Brighton is really good for pushing more women. Promoters and events coordinators to have more women in their lineups”.

Miri said: “People are more aware now of who’s being represented, and there’s more intention behind booking diverse artists rather than sticking to the same names.”

A vibrant environment for start-ups helps too. Platform B, a local radio platform for young musicians, has been formative for Martha’s DJ development.

She said: “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase what they’re really interested in and get gigs.”

Underlying this is a strong female DJ network.

Martha said: “The community is very close-knit.”

Shanny added: “We’ve got a collective experience. If I’m trying to organize an event or a promoter says they need a DJ, if I’m not free, I’ll instantly call my girls.”

More awareness and accountability is needed to support this move towards more equality – especially from those in positions of power.

Skye says that in situations where men have allegations of sexual harassment. She said: “We need to encourage men to call out their friends when they behave in a way that’s not great.”

Venues also have a responsibility. Skye said: “If someone comes to you with a proposed lineup, they need to look into the diversity and push back against ones that aren’t diverse.”

The power of consumers cannot be understated either. Martha said: “When there’s only male lineups at events or at festivals, speaking up about it.”

All of these DJs look forward to what the future holds for their craft, especially as summer looms and festival season kicks off.

Martha said: “Summer in Brighton is lively, and there’s quite a few gigs coming about.”

Shanny said: “We’re creating a more loving and nurturing environment for all DJs. This is the way forward. Get the girls together.”

Kate added: “We keep challenging it, one nudge and, of course, one spectacular set at a time.”