By Debra Littlejohn Shinder

Many folks automatically think of guns – along with cars, computers and competitive sports – as “guy things.”  Toy guns (if you can even buy them anymore in today’s over regulated world) are for little boys; girls are supposed to play with dolls and china tea sets.  Target shooting, hunting and gun collecting are things men do while the wives get together and exchange recipes or have their hair done.  And when she thinks about guns at all, the female of the species is more apt than not to wring her hands and beg her man not to bring those nasty firearms into the house where they’ll endanger her children.

If that’s what you think, think again. I know a lot of girls and women who are blowing those old myths right out of the water.  We of the “gentler gender” are taking up arms in a big way – and why wouldn’t we? Self defense is the number one reason.

Statistics show that most violent crimes against women are perpetuated by men. In most cases, those men are physically bigger and stronger than the women they victimize. A man (if he’s well trained and fit) may be able to take on a mugger or other criminal unarmed, but women are usually at a physical disadvantage in such an encounter – unless they have a way to level the playing field. A firearm does just that.

Once upon a time, protecting the family was considered to be a “man’s job.”  But in today’s world, more and more women live alone or as single, divorced or widowed mothers.  And even married women know their husbands can’t be there to look out for them twenty-four hours a day any more than the police can. We have to be willing and able to take responsibility for taking care of ourselves and our children. So we’re buying guns and we’re learning how to use them.

And we’re getting organized. Groups such as the Second Amendment Sisters (http://www.2asisters.org/), Women Against Gun Control (http://www.wagc.com/) and Armed Females of America (http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/) counter the image of all women as “million mom marchers” and promote responsible gun ownership, gun safety practices and the rights of both genders to keep and bear arms. 

Women such as Paxton Quigley (author of Armed and Female) and Janalee Tobias (founder of WAGC) are speaking out in national forums to offer an alternative viewpoint to that of Rosie O’Donnell, Sarah Brady and other high-profile anti-gun women. Publications such as Women & Guns Magazine provide forums where women can learn more about guns and shooting.

And even though women often are initially motivated to learn to shoot for personal protection, many are finding – often to their surprise – that there’s more to it than that. Watching more and more of your rounds go through the bulls eye is not only a satisfying feeling; it’s just plain fun.  And once they get over the initial hesitation, girls are often surprisingly good shooters. The same visual acuity and fine motor skills that make us good at crafts also serve us well on the range. 

Girls are beginning to get involved in competitive shooting at an early age.  Videos such as this one (http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/girls-like-shooting-sports-also.html) illustrate how members of a girl’s pistol team have benefitted from the self discipline and camaraderie involved in competitive shooting. 

The National Rifle Association sponsors instructional shooting clinics for women (http://www.nrahq.org/women/isc/index.asp) as well as women’s hunting programs and sponsors the “Refuse to be a Victim” seminars in conjunction with law enforcement agencies throughout the country.

When I started going to gun shows in the early 80s, I felt distinctly in the minority. Today, I see an increasing number of women at the shows – and they aren’t just tagging along after husbands and boyfriends, either. Now I see more women there alone or with other women, women debating the merits of Glock vs. Sig or 9mm vs. .40 caliber, women behind the counters selling the guns.

I see more women at the range, and they aren’t just there as students, following a man’s instructions and learning how to shoot. In many cases, they are the teachers, teaching their sons or daughters or even their boyfriends how to use a gun.

We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Of the 90,867 concealed handgun licenses issued by the state of Texas between 09/01/2006 and 08/31/2007, only 16,636 (a little over 18%) were issued to women, and only 7.26% of the 372 CHL instructor licenses were issued to women  (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/demoreportsfy07.htm).

Laws allowing open carry in Texas would benefit women even more – and that’s a subject I will address further in a future article.