The Armed Women of America National Conference & Leadership Summit, held approximately a year ago in Branson, generated considerable conversation around the area as many women realized they are not the only one wanting to learn more about firearms or become more comfortable and proficient using one.
The upward trend in women interested in gun ownership and firearm skills is not just in southwest Missouri. In 2021, nearly 50% of new gun owners and over 33% of first-time buyers were female, according to surveys by Harvard, Northwestern and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. One in five women report owning a firearm, compared to only 13% of gun owners being women in 2005. Another survey indicated that most gun purchases during the Covid-19 pandemic were made by women. This situation has led to more organizations and companies serving the female population of gun owners, including Armed Women of America, Women for Gun Rights, A Girl & A Gun, Gun Tote’n Mamas and more.
Reasons for women choosing to learn about and train with firearms are many and varied, with personal safety a priority for most:
· I want to defend the Second Amendment and stand up for my rights.
· My sister was attacked; could I be next?
· My neighborhood is not as safe as it used to be, and I have the right to protect myself in my home.
· I’m a widow and need to look out for myself.
· I started out hunting with my dad and enjoyed that so much, I decided to target practice with a handgun.
· I have a concealed carry permit, but I realize I need more training.
· Guns scared me; I realized I simply did not have the knowledge, so I decided to learn.
· I want to be a responsible gun owner.
Many women tend to feel more comfortable being taught by other women, possibly due to their common understanding of reasons such as those listed above. This has led to more women becoming certified as a firearm instructor, with currently 8% of instructors being women.
If one of those “want to feel safe” or “need to learn more” situations describes you, you may want to check out www.ArmedWomen.org for information about networking, support and training opportunities in your area. Chapter meetings involve classroom study and discussion as well as practice time at the range. A chapter is currently active in Springfield, with a Branson chapter being developed, and an online option was recently shared to benefit women with schedule or location challenges.
Also in the Branson area, Branson Good Guy Academy (https://goodguyacademy.com/about/) offers personal and corporate security education and training, with classes for basic firearms safety, women’s firearm training, security training tailored for school or worship settings, and more; visit the website or call 417-219-1123 for information.
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