WOMEN AND GUNS: INPUT REQUESTED FROM WOMEN ONLY PLEASE

Fionnros · Mar 3, 2013

Hey gals, Hubby Bart_man said I needed to pop on and post. So here I am.
I grew up in a bit of a sexist home. Even though my grandfather had a number of rifles, and my aunts shot at birds and other vermin off of the cherry trees, that kind of behavior was not encouraged by my father. I think it had more to do with the fact he didn't spend much time teaching me much stuff. I wasn't scared of them or anything, I just never had the chance. So when Bart started to actively get interested, I decided to as well.
Now I've had my fair share of men with big egos who won't see past my gender. Luckily Bart knew someone who did not fit that description, who also had a wide range of guns. So when I finally made it to the range, I was greeted with a buffet of guns. I mean two picnic tables covered with pistols, from .22 all the way up to a 44Magnum. The best part was that the guys were not aloud to shoot. All the attention was aimed at us girls and teaching us how to properly handle a gun. They recommended that I start out with the .22, which was awesome. It didn't scare me, actually I liked it. So I decided when I emptied the clip I would try the next caliber up. I'll tell you, I got all the way up to the 44. Scared the living bajesus out of me. I still didn't stop, just went down in size. They even helped me with my aim, stance, everything.
In my opinion, this was THE best way to be introduced to firearms.
I always feel bad for those who are firing a gun for the first time, handed a large caliber gun without any instructions other then aim that way and shoot. That is the perfect way to reinforce fear. I think if we were able to take each person and introduce them to guns the way I was, then the fear would dwindle drastically. Also teaching people that there is a way to shoot without killing, for those who have that moral conflict. Because all they see on the media is how guns kill.

Bart_man · Mar 3, 2013

One addendum from a loving husband about caliber.
The latest addition to HER side of the collection is a mosin sniper and I have seen grown men run from 7.62x54R but its her favorite now.

Fionnros said:
Hey gals, Hubby Bart_man said I needed to pop on and post. So here I am.
I grew up in a bit of a sexist home. Even though my grandfather had a number of rifles, and my aunts shot at birds and other vermin off of the cherry trees, that kind of behavior was not encouraged by my father. I think it had more to do with the fact he didn't spend much time teaching me much stuff. I wasn't scared of them or anything, I just never had the chance. So when Bart started to actively get interested, I decided to as well.
Now I've had my fair share of men with big egos who won't see past my gender. Luckily Bart knew someone who did not fit that description, who also had a wide range of guns. So when I finally made it to the range, I was greeted with a buffet of guns. I mean two picnic tables covered with pistols, from .22 all the way up to a 44Magnum. The best part was that the guys were not aloud to shoot. All the attention was aimed at us girls and teaching us how to properly handle a gun. They recommended that I start out with the .22, which was awesome. It didn't scare me, actually I liked it. So I decided when I emptied the clip I would try the next caliber up. I'll tell you, I got all the way up to the 44. Scared the living bajesus out of me. I still didn't stop, just went down in size. They even helped me with my aim, stance, everything.
In my opinion, this was THE best way to be introduced to firearms.
I always feel bad for those who are firing a gun for the first time, handed a large caliber gun without any instructions other then aim that way and shoot. That is the perfect way to reinforce fear. I think if we were able to take each person and introduce them to guns the way I was, then the fear would dwindle drastically. Also teaching people that there is a way to shoot without killing, for those who have that moral conflict. Because all they see on the media is how guns kill.

Goateggs · Mar 3, 2013

Maybe some of the other ladies would chime in on whether they think new women would be more comfortable taking instruction from other women. I ask because I decided a few weeks ago to both brush up on my (never very honed) rifle skills and introduce my youngest daughter to shooting by signing up for the June Ladyseed in Annapolis.

Fionnros · Mar 3, 2013

I would recommend having both a male and female instructor, just in case. Because even though it might not be common, sexism runs on the female side as well. They just know how to hide it better.
I've run into a woman who didn't think other women had anything to add to society outside cooking and cleaning....but only one.

Jayel · Mar 4, 2013

I saw this discussion and wanted to register because I do believe it is important that women are supportive of their own right to be legal gun owners. I think it's not just the way that it seems to be a portrayed as a masculine sport, but the way the media portrays guns as being dangerous. As a woman who believes that none of my rights should be controlled or decided by someone else, I find it unbelievable that there are women who would give up their right to bear arms and don't see it as an attack on their personal freedom.

Jayel · Mar 4, 2013

For the different instructor question, I honest don't know. My husband has been the only one who I have had teach me how to shoot. I would think that like Fionnros said having both would be beneficial for different perspectives in learning.

circadia · Mar 4, 2013

Uncle Duke said:
What are we dealing with and what impediments are we up against when it comes to women and firearms and defense of the Second Amendment? What needs to happen for women collectively to view firearms more favorably, and put both firearms ownership and 2A in a more favorable light that more women generally are more likely to embrace?

I see a lot more women at the target range than I used to and the gun industry has certainly become more inclusive of women. But I think there's still a cultural gender barrier because guns have traditionally been in the masculine sphere.

Men and guns are heavily rooted in our history and in our fiction. Sure, we have female soldiers, female cops, female action heroes, etc., but that's really only been in the past few decades. Boys grow up with guns too. They have toy guns, water guns, cap guns, bb guns, airsoft guns, action figures with guns and video games filled with guns. It's not like girls can't also use those things, but they're not usually marketed to girls.

When boys come of age, they've already got all this gun experience. It's not real gun experience, but it's the formative pseudo-experience of holding guns, holstering them, aiming, firing, knowing what guns look like and what they do. In other words, they learn that guns are weapons that they can control. Entering adulthood without all that, I think women are more likely to fear guns, seeing them as uncontrollable killing devices.

Think about it in the context of cars. People don't generally fear cars even though they're big, heavy machines that go really fast and kill lots of people. Why is that? It's because we see them everywhere, every day of our lives. We ride in them when we're young, watching our parents control them, and we learn to control them ourselves before even reaching adulthood. We know what they are, what they do and how to use them safely. That allows us to comfortably embrace the use of cars despite the risk of accidents. But how often does the average person see guns in their daily life? With the exception of gun owners and people living in open carry states, the answer is almost never.

The only frame of reference many women even have for guns is what they see on TV. Hollywood perpetuates common myths that automatic weapons everywhere, that bad guys are terrible shots and only manage to kill people because they spray tons of bullets, and that good guys are all amazing marksmen that can take them out with quick and easy single shots. What does that teach? That no one needs an assault weapon and no one needs more than 10 rounds... unless they have evil intent.

What about guns on the news? DEATH. VIOLENCE. Women tend to be more empathic and nurturing than men, so when they hear reports of people being shot and killed (especially when children are victims), they have a stronger emotional reaction to it. They're more likely to skip discussion about how and why such things happen and jump straight to a conclusion that guns (those uncontrollable killing devices) need to be removed from society. Second Amendment, be damned.

It's not a rational reaction; it's fear — an emotional reaction driven by a desire to prevent such horrors from ever being able to happen again. Of course it fails to take into account that evil and crazy are not dependent on the existence of guns, but emotional reactions are always short-sighted like that. Emotion seeks instant results, not complex problem-solving. That's why it's so tough to beat.

I think the only way to shift the negative view many women have of firearms is through education and exposure. They need those basics that boys usually get an an early age. They need to learn about guns, understand how they work and realize that they can, in fact, control them. Then maybe they'll begin to see that the problem is bad people, not good people owning guns.

circadia · Mar 4, 2013

Leeann said:
Always interested in guns but never had any - or access to any - while growing up because my parents are rabidly anti-gun.

My uncle gave me my first gun at 24, introducing me to the sport. Have recntly been building up my collection.

Often, women are treated in gun shops the same way they're treated in mechanics' shops. Like the red-headed stepchild men want them to be. I work on my own cars because I was tired of being treated poorly and ripped off by men who condescend to women.

You want more women involved? Start treating them with respect in the shops and at the ranges.

Do you still encounter stuff like that? I did back in the early 1990s when I was shopping around for my first gun. I wanted a semi-automatic, but the first few gun stores I visited told me they were much too complicated and then they'd direct me straight to the Lady Smith revolver. "This here is what you want, little lady." <--(that kind of attitude) :sad20:

I did eventually find a dealer that showed me some semi-autos when I asked. He got my business.

I've never encountered that problem since, though. I find gun dealers/shops to be friendly and respectful. Maybe I'm lucky?

Uncle Duke · Mar 4, 2013

circadia said:
I see a lot more women at the target range than I used to and the gun industry has certainly become more inclusive of women. But I think there's still a cultural gender barrier because guns have traditionally been in the masculine sphere.

Men and guns are heavily rooted in our history and in our fiction. Sure, we have female soldiers, female cops, female action heroes, etc., but that's really only been in the past few decades. Boys grow up with guns too. They have toy guns, water guns, cap guns, bb guns, airsoft guns, action figures with guns and video games filled with guns. It's not like girls can't also use those things, but they're not usually marketed to girls.

When boys come of age, they've already got all this gun experience. It's not real gun experience, but it's the formative pseudo-experience of holding guns, holstering them, aiming, firing, knowing what guns look like and what they do. In other words, they learn that guns are weapons that they can control. Entering adulthood without all that, I think women are more likely to fear guns, seeing them as uncontrollable killing devices.

Think about it in the context of cars. People don't generally fear cars even though they're big, heavy machines that go really fast and kill lots of people. Why is that? It's because we see them everywhere, every day of our lives. We ride in them when we're young, watching our parents control them, and we learn to control them ourselves before even reaching adulthood. We know what they are, what they do and how to use them safely. That allows us to comfortably embrace the use of cars despite the risk of accidents. But how often does the average person see guns in their daily life? With the exception of gun owners and people living in open carry states, the answer is almost never.

The only frame of reference many women even have for guns is what they see on TV. Hollywood perpetuates common myths that automatic weapons everywhere, that bad guys are terrible shots and only manage to kill people because they spray tons of bullets, and that good guys are all amazing marksmen that can take them out with quick and easy single shots. What does that teach? That no one needs an assault weapon and no one needs more than 10 rounds... unless they have evil intent.

What about guns on the news? DEATH. VIOLENCE. Women tend to be more empathic and nurturing than men, so when they hear reports of people being shot and killed (especially when children are victims), they have a stronger emotional reaction to it. They're more likely to skip discussion about how and why such things happen and jump straight to a conclusion that guns (those uncontrollable killing devices) need to be removed from society. Second Amendment, be damned.

It's not a rational reaction; it's fear — an emotional reaction driven by a desire to prevent such horrors from ever being able to happen again. Of course it fails to take into account that evil and crazy are not dependent on the existence of guns, but emotional reactions are always short-sighted like that. Emotion seeks instant results, not complex problem-solving. That's why it's so tough to beat.

I think the only way to shift the negative view many women have of firearms is through education and exposure. They need those basics that boys usually get an an early age. They need to learn about guns, understand how they work and realize that they can, in fact, control them. Then maybe they'll begin to see that the problem is bad people, not good people owning guns.

I'd have drawn the same conclusions, but what's most enlightening about your post Circadia is how you're thinking about the issue in getting there. That's what a lot of us need to understand better I suspect. Sometimes I think we all have a tendency to look at something, and not clearly see just exactly what it is that we're looking at anymore. Thanks for your thoughts!

Uncle Duke · Mar 4, 2013

Jayel said:
I saw this discussion and wanted to register because I do believe it is important that women are supportive of their own right to be legal gun owners. I think it's not just the way that it seems to be a portrayed as a masculine sport, but the way the media portrays guns as being dangerous. As a woman who believes that none of my rights should be controlled or decided by someone else, I find it unbelievable that there are women who would give up their right to bear arms and don't see it as an attack on their personal freedom.

I couldn't agree more with your conclusion. Women especially I would think would be all over tools that can provide for both recreation and, if necessary God forbid, for their own personal defense. What I am attempting to better understand is what factors are defining and leading you toward the conclusion you drew.

I know where you are. My question is how are you getting there? Because there's another reality at play here as well. What I do know with certainty is that a lot of women, for reasons I want to try to better get my arms around, aren't reaching your conclusion. If fact, the conclusion they draw is quite oftentimes the polar opposite. Men too, but in tendency terms, women more so oftentimes I believe. I don't know this for sure, but my best guess is that you ladies hold at least a much better defined key to the clarity of those answers than we guys do or ever will. Again, I'm not a woman. Never have been. Never will be. Women have vastly different realities than men do in some ways. Just a fact.

If I were to be restricted to boiling my post down to one thought with regard to a huge collective 2A demographic of voting women, but a demographic consisting of clearly individual component parts? It would be this. I'm looking for common themes. I'm looking for common denominators. I'm looking for traits and tendencies that may arguably be either unique, or that would tend to be more pervasive in woman as a group. Many have been communicated already. I'm seeing consistencies in sometimes very different responses. I'm seeing what has the makings of generalized themes. This exercise will never be perfect. No two women are exactly alike, no more than men are. And that's a good thing. We'd live in a pretty damned miserably boring world otherwise. But what I'm trying to suggest here is that I can't effectively fight what I'm oftentimes not sure I can clearly and effectively see. Much of this issue isn't greatly different from many others of similar complexity. It's about awareness. I'm looking to enhance my own awareness, the awareness of the men on this forum, and the awareness of the women on this forum as well. Because there's another side of this same coin ladies. You aren't men either. Sometimes, what we think we say to each other, and what we think we hear from each other, are 2 very different things. And "that dog don't hunt" because we all need to be pulling on the same end of the 2A rope.

Elaborate on the factors that steered you toward your conclusion if you get a chance. I think all on this forum benefit greatly from your thoughts. I know I have received some excellent perspective from the thoughts of the other ladies here. And WELCOME Jayel! I'm glad you registered! That makes 3 new ladies on the forum. Bring your friends too, because we need all of the
pro-2A boots on the ground that we can get in this state!

Uncle Duke · Mar 4, 2013

Bart_man said:
One addendum from a loving husband about caliber.
The latest addition to HER side of the collection is a mosin sniper and I have seen grown men run from 7.62x54R but its her favorite now.

Sounds to me like you were exposed to firearms the right way. Thanks your teachers for the variety of handguns that you slowly got exposure to. The systematic step by step and incremental approach.

I absolutely cringe when I hear the heavier calibers as first firearms exposure. Handguns and long guns both. By way of analogy, it's the same sort of scenario as taking a person with a learner's permit, and positioning that same someone to experience driving by starting them on the pole at Daytona.

Hmmm.......how does that story typically end?

Raven · Mar 4, 2013

I grew up on a farm and my Dad and brother and many of our family friends were hunters. I started using my Dads old Remington 12 gauge semi to walk the marshes jump shooting ducks when I was 15. One of my most vivid memories is of my Dad, with a hip length cast on his leg, poking a hole in the screen in the kitchen window to blast a pack of feral dogs attacking our sheep. I stopped shooting after I got married. Why? Because my husband (actually it should be husbands - two of them) had no interest in guns and actually were afraid of them. They also thought it was the antithesis of femininity for a woman to even touch a gun! Hogwash. I am now single and back into shooting in a big way (BR, trap/skeet, pistol) after being repressed by two different guys, and loving it.

I have experienced the disdain from men in gun shops and and at the range, though the range guys warmed up after they found out that I could actually shoot. I have actually had a shop clerk, when I asked to see their in-stock .38s condescendingly say that I should get a double action revolver because I would not have to worry about "figuring out if the safety was on or off", or remembering to rack a slide to load the chamber, and then proceed to put a tiny pink model of some sort on the counter. LOL

I have a very good male friend who would love to shoot, but his wife will not "allow" him to have a gun because some relative of hers committed suicide with a gun. Cases like this are where education comes in. It's fear of something they don't understand. Knowledge is confidence.

The president of our club has starting giving free women's clinics for gals who want to learn - not just club members, and they have been an overnight booming success. He announced one class on Facebook and had to immediately add 4 more classes. I attended the one on Saturday, and was delighted to see a couple of the women who had never fired a gun, grinning like Cheshire cats, as their fear was replace by delight. I would like to see a campaign by all clubs nationwide doing the same thing.

Uncle Duke · Mar 4, 2013

Raven said:
I grew up on a farm and my Dad and brother and many of our family friends were hunters. I started using my Dads old Remington 12 gauge semi to walk the marshes jump shooting ducks when I was 15. One of my most vivid memories is of my Dad, with a hip length cast on his leg, poking a hole in the screen in the kitchen window to blast a pack of feral dogs attacking our sheep. I stopped shooting after I got married. Why? Because my husband (actually it should be husbands - two of them) had no interest in guns and actually were afraid of them. They also thought it was the antithesis of femininity for a woman to even touch a gun! Hogwash. I am now single and back into shooting in a big way (BR, trap/skeet, pistol) after being repressed by two different guys, and loving it.

I have experienced the disdain from men in gun shops and and at the range, though the range guys warmed up after they found out that I could actually shoot. I have actually had a shop clerk, when I asked to see their in-stock .38s condescendingly say that I should get a double action revolver because I would not have to worry about "figuring out if the safety was on or off", or remembering to rack a slide to load the chamber, and then proceed to put a tiny pink model of some sort on the counter. LOL

I have a very good male friend who would love to shoot, but his wife will not "allow" him to have a gun because some relative of hers committed suicide with a gun. Cases like this are where education comes in. It's fear of something they don't understand. Knowledge is confidence.

The president of our club has starting giving free women's clinics for gals who want to learn - not just club members, and they have been an overnight booming success. He announced one class on Facebook and had to immediately add 4 more classes. I attended the one on Saturday, and was delighted to see a couple of the women who had never fired a gun, grinning like Cheshire cats, as their fear was replace by delight. I would like to see a campaign by all clubs nationwide doing the same thing.

Raven,

What club if I might ask? The president of your club is absolutely directionally correct in my opinion.

Interesting. I never once thought about a scenario existing where a woman might want to shoot, and a significant male other discouraged that. Then again, I've always been a gun guy and never would have looked at the issue through the eyes of a man who isn't. I would tend to think that most men would want the women in their lives to have the ability to defend themselves. Unless specialty trained, not too many women are going to be able to effectively handle the threat of a 200 pound man with bad intentions. And women absolutely know that from what I've been told by those I know well.

The femininity card, huh? Got it. Never would have crossed my mind. Thanks for your post and your candor!

RavensChick · Mar 4, 2013

I'm just seeing this now, so I will chime in.

Most of my family hunts, except for my parents. So, while I didn't grow up "anti-gun", my parents really didn't have any guns in the house. (Though, I found out recently they had a very old .25 Saturday Night Special.) I had aways been facinated by guns, but never had the opportunity to shoot anything other than a BB gun.

Fast forward to mid-2012. I've always been into politics/current affairs and I was watching politicans start playing with a lot of our rights. I have two stepsons in my house on weekends that love first person shooter video games. But, they are now in their teens so my husband and I discussed whether we could safely have guns in our house with our boys. We decided we could, so in November, I went out and bought a shotgun. After Sandy Hook in December, I went and bought my first handgun.

To answer the main question, I agree that a physical understanding of guns and how they work is the biggest obstacle that needs to be overcome for more women to be accepting of firearms. I have learned SO MUCH in the last few months. I was pretty much clueless on how a handgun operated before watching the MD Safety Handgun course and doing extensive research on the internet. I also agree that emphasizing that guns are important for self-defense and equalizing the physical strength of male attackers would also help. (The later angle also would help in the large capacity magazine argument.)

I am a little different than most women as I work in the male-dominated IT field. I'm used to a little sexism and apprehension. But so far, I haven't experienced any of those type of issues with purchasing a gun or issues at the firing range (On Target).

Now if I could just get 9mm ammo at a decent price more frequently, I could be come a better shot than I am now. :sad20:

MicheleM · Mar 4, 2013

I'm going to chime in here. I don't know a lot about guns, but what I've learned recently definitely took some of the initial fear away that I had.

And that's the key: a lot of women fear them. Mostly because they don't understand them and don't realize that there are ways to safely be around them.

Most women (not all) are just as clueless in a gun store as guys standing at a cosmetics counter choosing the right color eyeshadow. Some of my sisters above mentioned the treatment they get from gun store owners. A woman would be reluctant to enter a gun store if she's unfamiliar with guns simply because she's concerned with the treatment she'll get. They'll call me stupid, they're going to be annoyed with my lack of knowledge, I'll call the rifle by an incorrect name, etc., etc.

This stops the communication and development of a relationship between the owner, who is adept and can impart much knowledge, and the possible future purchaser.

Guys...even if we are ignorant of all the aspects of guns/shooting, if you act like we are an imposition we may never get another opportunity. However, if you approach us with respect and allow us to learn from you, you will have another ally against the gun-grabbers.

Raven · Mar 4, 2013

Excellent point!

Uncle Duke · Mar 4, 2013

MicheleM said:
I'm going to chime in here. I don't know a lot about guns, but what I've learned recently definitely took some of the initial fear away that I had.

And that's the key: a lot of women fear them. Mostly because they don't understand them and don't realize that there are ways to safely be around them.

Most women (not all) are just as clueless in a gun store as guys standing at a cosmetics counter choosing the right color eyeshadow. Some of my sisters above mentioned the treatment they get from gun store owners. A woman would be reluctant to enter a gun store if she's unfamiliar with guns simply because she's concerned with the treatment she'll get. They'll call me stupid, they're going to be annoyed with my lack of knowledge, I'll call the rifle by an incorrect name, etc., etc.

This stops the communication and development of a relationship between the owner, who is adept and can impart much knowledge, and the possible future purchaser.

Guys...even if we are ignorant of all the aspects of guns/shooting, if you act like we are an imposition we may never get another opportunity. However, if you approach us with respect and allow us to learn from you, you will have another ally against the gun-grabbers.

You're absolutely right Michele! I am well aware of this particular and pervasive scenario. No one wants those sorts of experiences. No one deserves them either. Not only is it wrong, but it's damaging to the point where it's impinging upon our ability to secure and retain the one constitutional right that protects all others. This is a BIG DEAL that has ramifications that go far beyond mistreatment and hurt feelings.

At the risk of being somewhat graphic, there's a concept that a lot of us men and a lot of shops need to understand when it comes to guns generally and woman and guns in particular. It's called KYHOOYA----otherwise known for those of us who may be unfamiliar with this little gem of male lingo as "Keeping Your Head Out Of Your Ass." It goes a long way towards making and keeping friends, and avoiding those people and situations who would ultimately otherwise become your enemy. Or in this case, an enemy of 2A, with those even further reaching and unthinkable ramifications.

Thanks for your candor Michele!

MicheleM · Mar 4, 2013

You're welcome, Uncle Duke and thank you for this thread.

I can imagine some guys bristling at the thought of women, and all that that entails sometimes, entering into this masculine territory. I hope women who do don't try to "girl" it up and give us a bad name. It is what it is. A mostly male arena. I respect that and don't want to push myself or ask for special treatment. I just want to learn.

Regarding the 2nd Amendment, I see this as an encroachment to ALL amendments and rights. If anyone thinks it won't stop at this one, they don't know history. A whole bunch of men died for those rights and so many are willing to start handing them to the government without a thought. (oh Lord, don't get me started :mad54:

)

circadia · Mar 4, 2013

MicheleM said:
I'm going to chime in here. I don't know a lot about guns, but what I've learned recently definitely took some of the initial fear away that I had.

And that's the key: a lot of women fear them. Mostly because they don't understand them and don't realize that there are ways to safely be around them.

Most women (not all) are just as clueless in a gun store as guys standing at a cosmetics counter choosing the right color eyeshadow. Some of my sisters above mentioned the treatment they get from gun store owners. A woman would be reluctant to enter a gun store if she's unfamiliar with guns simply because she's concerned with the treatment she'll get. They'll call me stupid, they're going to be annoyed with my lack of knowledge, I'll call the rifle by an incorrect name, etc., etc.

This stops the communication and development of a relationship between the owner, who is adept and can impart much knowledge, and the possible future purchaser.

Guys...even if we are ignorant of all the aspects of guns/shooting, if you act like we are an imposition we may never get another opportunity. However, if you approach us with respect and allow us to learn from you, you will have another ally against the gun-grabbers.

Your guy-standing-at-the-cosmetic-counter analogy is perfect. Gun stores are very intimidating to someone who knows nothing. Revolvers, semi-autos, different calibers... newbies don't know where to begin or how to even ask questions. And no one wants to feel like an idiot at a gun counter. Any gun shop that isn't prepared to spend a little extra time with new customers (particularly new female customers), explaining things and offering guidance, is doing a disservice to all of us.

Wilda · Mar 4, 2013

I agree with a lot of the other posters that the biggest impediment to getting new female shooters is sexism. It's not impossible to overcome because women, as a whole, are used to getting ridiculed when trying to get involved in sports or activities that are typically considered male hobbies. If you want more women to favorably view firearms, men need to step up and show women that guns aren't dangerous if you're educated about how you handle them.

A lot of the time, women are willing to try new things as long as they are with someone who they trust. A brother, father, etc. can get women involved in shooting. The second that you remove that male liaison from the equation, things start to get a little shaky. Women are less likely to walk into a gun shop or a shooting class by themselves. I see it every day with my friends when I ask them to come shooting with me.

Getting women involved in shooting is about far more than just making a gun in pink. It's a lot harder to welcome people into a community when you're raised being told that girls don't shoot guns, don't hunt, don't go to the range, etc. Change that with your children and maybe the next time we need women to step forward and defend our Second Amendment rights, it won't be so difficult. On the way to Vegas, I sat next to the founder of ShootLikeAGirl.com. Not only is she awesome, but she practices what she preaches and shows women firsthand that you don't need to be a man to be a great shooter.

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