The women of the appalchian mountains in the late 1800's played a finger picking style that was considered at the time to be the feminine way of playing guitar. Completely unmasculine to play like that. Later in the mid 1900's a man learned that style of music and became very famous for playing it. His name was Merle Travis. Chet Atkins, Doc Watson and John Lenon patterned their style of playing from Merle. How many players have been inspired by them? If it had not been for the mountain women developing a type of finger picking, guitar playing would not have evolved to what it is today. Then of course their is Mother Maybelle Carter that taught Johnny Cash all kinds of stuff.
So in conclusion, not only have women been instrumental (pardon me) in styles of playing, but in my opinion are at times better than male players.