The Well Armed Woman Blog

The Problem With Women

Women have issues.

Yes we do. No… not those.

Women have some challenges that make it uniquely difficult for them to simply buy a gun and jump in to gun ownership. Here are a few of them. Perhaps you can relate or better yet – perhaps you can help.

ISSUE 1

The Fact: Women think and act differently than men.


The Problem:Generally, boys are raised to play rough, to be tough and to grow up to be the provider and protector. Girls are raised to be gentle and sweet and to nurture their husbands and families. More than ever before, women are now placed in the position of being the protector of themselves, their families and their homes. More women are working out of the home, are single and are the head of the households. Gone are the days of the knight in shining armor and it is impossible for law enforcement to be there in time. The realities of violent crime leave women no choice but to train and be prepared to protect themselves.Women are ‘Life Givers’ and everything in their being, both physically and emotionally is designed to give and nurture life. As you can imagine, the decision to take a life, even when necessary to protect it, can create some personal conflict.The Solution:Women must be given the information they need to begin to address these changes in their world. Accurate information that addresses these unique challenges is required in a non-intimidating environment where they can feel comfortable to explore and get questions answered.  This is foreign territory for most women, the understanding of the difference in their journey to gun ownership and self-protection is necessary. To effectively “assume” this new role as self-protectors, the men in our lives, instructors and gun dealers need to understand this and have the information we need as women and the ability o communicate it effectively.

ISSUE 2

The Fact: Carrying a concealed gun is really hard to do as a woman.

The Problem:Women have curves – lot’s of them in lots of different places that create all sorts of issues.  We also wear a variety of different clothing styles whereas men have the benefit of having a waistline everyday, while many women’s clothing styles, which lack a belt or firm waistband. Women’s waists are shorter creating a tighter area to effectively draw a firearm as well as  a couple of those bumps we referenced earlier can get in the way!The Solution:Women need holsters that are designed for all of those curves and the issues they create as well as variety in the locations where they can be carried. Holster manufacturers need to stay creative and let the curves dictate. This however creates a new challenge, that of safely drawing the firearm from all of these different locations. Because women may carry in a variety or locations that may change day to day, they MUST practice drawing their firearm safely and quickly from each location and always be aware of where that firearm is located on her body each day.

ISSUE 3

The Fact: Women need firepower that they can handle that will do the job.

The Problem:Women’s hands are smaller and have less strength than a man. Finding a firearm that a woman can wrap her hands around, reach all of the controls, rack the slide (on a semi-auto) handle the recoil and shoot safely is tough! All of this without giving up stopping power. There is no ‘Best gun for a woman’ as there are just too many variables and things to consider.  Women must make this selection themselves by reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of each type and have the chance to handle and shoot as many as possible to make the decision.
The Solution:More higher caliber firearm options with grips a woman can get her hands around and access controls and designed for minimal recoil.  Sounds like a tall order, but we are seeing more and  more options become available that meet these needs.You see, many women do have some potentially big problems, which naturally require big solutions. More and more women are taking on their role as self-protector and entering the ranks of gun ownership. I am seeing a greater desire to meet the needs of the female shooter from all sides of the industry. Big things are coming!

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