Why do women own firearms/ There are as many individual answers to that question as there are walks of life; many are similar, but uniquely personal. Here’s a look at a few of the main reasons to help you, as a woman, find the right tribe of people with whom you want to spend your time while you enjoy some firearm fellowship.
The Home Defender
These are your mama bears of the world. They believe the mantra, “No one is coming to save you.” It is a truth we often see played out in the news. You are your own first responder. Women who understand this truth tend to be independent and confident.
A subset of this population would be the women who want to have a firearm because they think it will make them feel safe, but they lack confidence because they do not train enough. If you fall into this category, seek the mentorship from those women who are, confident, capable, and can help you to become the capable woman you want to be.
The Survivor of Abuse
Sadly, guns being the great equalizer, many women resort to purchasing one because of abuse, stalking, and violent or criminal individuals in their lives. These women have real stories. Sadly, their reality isn’t a rarity. Recently I was sitting at a random table with two young women, and each of us had a story about somebody who had 1) stalked them at their job 2) stalked them at their house or 3) had photos of them on their phone. It is such a common occurrence that it can leave one feeling paranoid.
Making the decision to purchase a firearm because of abuse, stalking or threats is a reasonable reaction to danger as a female. If you fall into this category, you should get training and become as skilled as possible, so that you can use this tool to the best of your ability, should the need arise.
Training should not only encompass concealed carry, home defense and personal defense, but it should also cover training on the legal aspects of the laws in your state regarding stalking or abuse, and how you get restraining orders or protective orders in place.
if more young women understood what is required by law to prohibit someone from threatening them, they would be much more likely to report, suspicious and out-of-bounds behavior. Reporting to the proper authorities any unwelcomed actions that are threatening—for the purpose of establishing patterns of behavior or other necessary legal requirements—make it more likely that a woman can rely on the full force of the law to protect herself, in addition to having a firearm for the worst-case scenario.
The women gun owners from this category tend to be involved in mentoring other women because they never want to see anyone suffer what they did. They tend to be very vocal and assertive and great spokespersons for firearm rights.
The Hunter and Survivalist
The women focused on hunting and survival, in my experience, tend to be very happy people who enjoy the outdoors and feeding their families natural foods. The survivalist who owns guns tends to be more focused on home defense, but they probably garden and they probably have a nice hunting rifle to take on the zombie world, as well as bring home a winter’s worth of game to feed their family.
This is where many women, especially mothers, fit firearms into their family life. They recognize the opportunity to steward natural resources and protect their families are interwoven with our rights to be secure. Food security is as much a reason to own a firearm as personal security.
These women are often rather laid back on the hunting side—feeding your family is just what you do! And on the survival side, they can sometimes be rather intense. It’s OK to seek the level of intensity with which you are most comfortable, but don’t be afraid to make friends with these women. They’re serious and have information to share!
The Competitor and the Plinker
These firearm owners tend to embrace all the joy to be found in owning a firearm. They usually own a firearm for home defense and personal safety, they often hunt, but beyond those two very practical uses, they recognize that competition and plinking (regular shooting for recreation) make them so much more capable. These women recognize that skills you wish to call upon automatically need a lot of repetition and practice and they aren’t afraid to dig in. Competition shooters in particular can teach others about how to be confident under pressure and scrutiny—conditions one might face when using a firearm for self-defense.
The Historian
The historian gun owner might be interested in guns because perhaps they inherited a family heirloom, or they just believe that every American should own at least one gun. They might not use them as much as the other categories of female gun owners, but they still appreciate their value, beauty, and the fact that the average person should own a gun. It’s less common for women to get all giddy about old guns and the history surrounding them, but these women will help others see the “why” of gun ownership in general and they will help even the woman who might think gun ownership “isn’t for me” to see that gun ownership is for everyone.
Military and Law Enforcement
People from these walks of life tend to have a basic knowledge of firearms and are usually comfortable being around them. But while the military and law enforcement tend to be somewhat capable with firearms, it’s not always true that they’re skilled with them. Law-enforcement training often is woefully minimal, that there are stories of agencies whose training requirements are so skimpy, their officers are forced to seek outside help to meet their qualifications. This is why jokes about police officers’ firearm skills—or lack thereof—are so prevalent. However, they don’t reflect every law enforcement officer. Some are very skilled and do everything in their power to become an expert marksman, training with the firearms they carry. Some police officers will undergo extra training to carry a rifle in their vehicle, or to be able to help instruct other officers. So when you get a police officer that participates and instructs, you generally get someone who has a lot of passion for the subject.
Women who have used firearms professionally are going to be great mentors even if not highly skilled, and should be able to share the reality of why all citizens should have access to a firearm. As the wife of a law enforcement officer, I can tell you the “no one is coming to save you” statement applies to everyone—all walks of life, all professions, even their families. It’s why owning and mastering basic skills with a firearm is truly a goal for not just women, but everyone capable.
Finding other women who share similar life experiences will help you learn about firearms in ways that are meaningful for YOU. And if you are one of those women to whom others come with questions, be open to sharing your expertise or even lack of expertise. Everyone can learn from someone more advanced than themselves. So no matter what end of the spectrum you are on, don’t be afraid to share with others and make the world we live in a little safer while you enjoy time with friends.
