How To Get Women Into The Gun Concept

This has been a hot topic of conversation for several months now, making national news of the record breaking number of women purchasing guns and getting concealed carry permits. There has also been an increase in the number of women seeking training in general self-defense tactics.

Still there remains an “antigun” biases with a large population of women. Some refer to it as the Suzy Homemaker Issue. Women have achieved being equals in our culture, but many still hold on to the thought process that the gun is the symbol of male violence and therefore something they want nothing to do with, even something they allow themselves to fear. It is a topic discussed by Susan Brown Miller in her book Against our Will. I acknowledge that there was a time and place in our history that that may have been true. But in today’s modern progressive society especially where a woman may very well be the head of her own household, the gun is a tool just like any other. It is not about male or female, it is about empowerment. As women we take on the role of Mother Bear to protect our cubs. We don’t have claws or teeth as does a real mother bear, so we need to get them artificially… guns, knives, kubatans, pepper spray, stun guns… these are all forms of claws and teeth we use to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

What I ask of all women is that you give yourself every opportunity to learn, grow and thrive in all ways possible. Learning to handle firearms for sport shooting or otherwise is a very empowering adventure and it changes your perception of “self”. It is very important for women to have positive female role models in the firearms industry. I strongly encourage you when seeking out a firearms training course, that you look for one that has a female role model on staff rather than an overall male environment. Especially if you are new and feeling timid. Knowing that there is someone like you teaching from a similar perspective will ease the experience.

It might not be for you, it might turn out to be the most exciting experience you have ever had, but it will spark a feeling inside you of YES I CAN. Take that and use it in your life. Learn… Grow… Thrive!

Resources for Women in the Firearms Industry
· Kathy Jackson- The cornered cat
· Gila Hayes- Effective Defense, The woman the plan and the gun, Personal defense for woman
· Paxton Quigley- Armed and Female

This is the Face of Women and Guns… Who is Listening?

Self esteem, empowerment, confidence… words that are always closely associated with women and girls. It is how we see our self, how others judge us by our actions or in actions, and the constant image that is projected by media, political agendas, even how products are marketed to us. Lets talk about my market… the firearms industry. I am a bit bothered that in this current explosion of women and guns, there is a strange mix of empowerment and belittling happening at the same time. For sure the firearms industry wants our consumer dollars, and our husbands are jumping for joy because if mama is buying guns, then the chances go up for hubby to buy more guns too. But there is a constant image of half naked women holding guns wrong, and snickers about pink guns or painted backstraps, even disrespect at the gun counter that separates us from really participating in the mainstream. What has been missed in this entire equation is how women really relate to their guns, which is a direct connection to their self esteem, sense of empowerment and confidence, as it applies in this discussion of women and guns.

I have a nice glimpse of this social experience. A Girl and A Gun Women’s Shooting League has connected me with hundreds of women, all different stages of life and reasons for participating in shooting activities. No matter if it is a woman I meet in person at the range, or the gal I meet on Facebook across the country, we are all bonding in a sisterhood, the common interest of shooting guns because it is fun and we can invoke our own style. It has nothing to do with if we shoot a pink gun (or my color of choice… purple). It has nothing to do with the color of our range bag or the bling on the earmuffs… it has everything to do with personal connections and how those personal touches makes us feel. The explosion of women and guns is a direct connection with the fact that we are embracing “girly” behavior along side learning a skill set that enables self esteem to blossom into the empowerment and confidence to walk into the gun store, step up to the line or join the discussion.

I am proud to be in this community of women (and the men who support us). The talent in the leadership is amazing, the women who are stepping out are inspirational, and the relationships are priceless. This is the face of women and guns… who is listening?

What a way to closeout 2011!

Looking for some fun n’ gun stuff on New Years eve, a few gals from the Leander and San Antonio chapters of A Girl and A Gun Women’s Shooting League, ventured out to Best of the West Shooting Sports in Liberty Hill TX to participate in a 2 Gun  match put on by Texas Multigun.  We found some fun n’gun, but most of all we found run n’ gun!

I personally have shot one USPSA match and one multigun match. (Not much running in IDPA, I like that)  The running part kind of freaks me out a little bit because I have this idea I might look silly.  Well I got over it!  First stage of the day I took off like I was being chased and discovered that is ok for pistol shooting, but when I picked up my rifle I had a hard time catching my breath…. dam!  New Years resolution #1… do some cardio.

Bobbi (San Antonio Facilitator) was by the far the most prepared gal, this was her first 2 gun match, but being a seasoned USPSA shooter/RO this chick knows her way around her pistol and rifle.  She brought with her a member of her chapter Alejandra, which by the way was her very first match… ever!  Alejandra did great, she took it at her own pace, focusing more on the how too instead of the do it really fast.  We decided she is our poster girl for AG & AG, just get out there and try it!

Members of our Board of Directors Stela & Renee also came out, and together we had an awesome time.  We sure did learn alot about our gear (we are resisting the urge for another shopping trip, have to wait just a bit longer) and of course time to hang out with some of the friendliest shooters in Texas.  A big thank you to our squad mates and ROs from Dreadnaught Industries, thanks for you help and friendship!

 

Another accomplishment for us girls… we all came without our husbands and lived to tell about it.