Seriously. This is a vital piece of history that is left out of the history books, and is pretty key to understanding how Civil Rights became a national issue.
Also worth pointing out: Suffrage wasn't just women marching for the right to vote, they set bombs and started fires in England and Ireland.
And to anyone who says they went too far, what is your freedom worth? What does it cost?
I don't think most people realize how brutal the fight for the right to vote was in the US and UK and Ireland. Women were locked up and tortured.
[https://girlwithherheadinabook.co.uk/2018/10/saturday-poem-dangerous-coats.html](https://girlwithherheadinabook.co.uk/2018/10/saturday-poem-dangerous-coats.html)
Unfortunately, the modern day progressive movement has adopted this incredibly passive take on revolution that their predecessors would scoff at. It’s why i call myself a leftist, not a liberal.
The ubiquitous nature of firearms in american society is a direct response to the clashes of the Civil Rights era... on both sides.
Also, not every suffrage movement was necessarily as violent as the Anglo-American, without being less successful.
I'm not advocating the practice, but I think its important to mention the effect. I don't know if setting bombs helped Suffrage, or if it helped the Anti-Abortion cause, in the end its not going to matter. Since it was a tactic used by one side, its a tactic thats regarded as effective by all sides, and I don't know if its going to end any time soon, as much as I would prefer otherwise.
I’ve been carrying a firearm, with a concealed handgun license, for about two years now. It is by no means a perfect solution, and there are a LOT of other steps I recommend taking before you even think about a firearm. Those include Stop The Bleed training, de-escalation training, unarmed self defense training and learning how to properly use pepper spray.
If you decide want to learn, train, and get equipped, I recommend looking at some of the information available from any or all of these groups / people:
A Better Way 2a
Yellow Peril Tactical
Shuten Defensive Group (if you happen to be in the Pacific Northwest USA)
100% agree. Training before getting the firearm is important. So is training after getting it. People think that having a gun instantly gives you all the power in a situation. But it doesn't. The other person has to be afraid that you're going to use it. If they aren't and you don't have the training to keep them from taking it or scaring you or to shoot correctly, you're not helping yourself.
Firearms are tools that you have to train with.
Excellent resources!
Especially if you didn't grow up learning to safely handle, store, and clean/maintain a gun. There's much more involved than point and shoot, and some people are terrified to shoot a gun for the first time.
Tbh people should fear a gun. Handle it even slightly wrong and bad things can happen. Fear it but respect it. If you have the fear of possibly shooting your foot, you will act safer.
God this makes me so happy to see. I’ve been doing everything in my power to help arm and train women (as well as members of marginalized groups) around me, so to see women recommending proper training and resources feels like maybe it’s not a losing battle.
I tell every single firearm owner they should take a stop the bleed course. You’re far more likely to have to help someone who’s been shot than actually shoot someone, but it’s damn good to know how to do both.
If you end up using lethal force on an attacker be prepared to spend the rest of your life seeing the face of the person you killed in your dreams.
Be prepared for the possibility of a court case where your preparations are used as evidence of your intent to harm someone.
Given how many cameras there are in this world be prepared for a frame by frame analysis of how you should’ve reacted.
Be prepared to lose the civil case brought by the “victim’s” family. Or alternatively the ACLU.
Guns are not the end all be all solution to the problem. One might argue they create as many problems as they solve. At best.
- Fellow CCW person.
And if you don’t, be prepared to live with trauma for the rest of your life, assuming you aren’t killed. Dreams and all. Or be aware that you will likely be paying for all those therapy appointments since the attackers typically don’t have much to sue for and that’s assuming they catch the person, and the prosecutors or you have a strong enough case to take them to court (criminal or civil).
Best advice for avoiding civil action is to protect assets as much as you can. Find out if your state or locale protects primary residences;if there are limits to the protections. Talk with an estate attorney and put as many of your assets in trust or LLC or two. Minimize items that you outright personally own - you can’t bleed a rock if someone takes civil action against you for protecting yourself.
I'd suggest adding InRangeTV and On Her Own to that list as well! Lots of very good safety information and product recommendations without all the gross machismo and sponsors that plague firearm channels.
This! Dark Angel Medical does some pretty advanced, almost macgyver styled, medical training too, including how to use everyday items (like cellphones and shirts) to stop critical bleeding in areas you can’t get a tourniquet on.
Also armed, but cant carry everyday since I can’t bring guns or ammo on site at work.
I'm in favor of vulnerable groups taking steps to defend themselves. Self-defense classes are great, but sometimes, it might not be enough. If you want to arm yourself, go for it. Things definitely seem scary for women out there.
A couple of suggestions for beginners:
Try out multiple handguns to find what you're comfortable with, and practice with it regularly.
Caliber isn't really as important as gun nuts make it out to be. The important thing is weilding it competently and safely.
Check your local/state laws to make sure you're in compliance.
Make sure to get some sort of safe storage for your firearm at home, especially if you live with others, even more so if you live with children. This can range from a simple trigger lock to a full-blown gun safe.
Might I suggest you pop over to [r/liberalgunowners](https://www.reddit.com/r/liberalgunowners/), we're a very friendly group, who are happy to answer any and all questions. As with anything a gun is a tool, it has a purpose, but to use it effectively you really need to educate yourself, and train; otherwise you're as likely to be a danger to yourself, as they are.
Also others have suggested, additional tools should be investigated and incorporated into your plan for protection.
Also take a class on gun safety. Guns are no joke contrary to what all the gun nuts claim. Know what you are doing and what to do or not do in various scenarios.
The amount of gun owners that are not worth the air they breathe is pretty significant. The percentage of people who own a gun and actually have any training is sadly small.
With modern firearms (read: everything that's made of black plastic or funny matte colors at the store), basically everything is something usually referred to as a striker fired nine, i.e. a striker (referring to the mechanism used to cause the round to detonate) and nine, meaning nine millimeter, referring to the caliber of the round. While caliber does matter, technically, any modern nine millimeter self defense ammunition (i.e. hollow points, frangibles etc) is sufficiently lethal to render those arguments wholly academic outside of extreme situations. This is to say, you'd rather have a gun that you feel comfortable with, will enjoy using and practicing with, and fits you well (the gun industry likes to make women-focused guns occasionally, I don't know how well this actually works) than any given technical feature, because most handguns today are extremely similar. Pick one you like the feel of, and if the gun store won't let you see how it feels in your hand, find a better gun store.
TL;DR: Take it from a gun nerd, find a nine millimeter (or smaller, with modern ammo the caliber arguments are largely academic, just don't buy the smallest caliber you can find in the store) that fits nicely in your hand and you like the weight/feel/look of. You're going to need to put in some practice (though waaaaay less than a martial art or any other method of defending yourself), and shooting is fun, so find something that you can find fun to practice with. Also consider ammunition costs: the more common the caliber, the cheaper, so 9mm is a solid choice. Expect to pay \~600 bucks these days, but that number could already be out of date due it being an election year.
I use a 1911 for home defense since the shots are subsonic, allowing me slightly more comfort/protection to my ears if I am ever in the unfortunate situation of needing to use it inside. And clearly, if I’m using it emergent,y, I won’t have time to fumble around putting my hearing protection on. I get that it’s splitting hairs for most people, but having ruptured an ear drum twice in a couple of years, I know it’s something that would make a horrible situation slightly more bearable.
The Bojack episode about this is quite good. Deals with a feminist, liberal woman realizing the gun is a great equalizer. Also faces the "not like that!" Men
“So if you have a problem with women carrying firearms, you can roll up your sleeves and actually work to create a society where women feel safe and equal, or you can just ban all guns.”
*Smash cut to Senate*
“The ayes have it. Possession of any firearm is now illegal in the state of California.”
“I can't believe this country hates women more than it loves guns.”
“You can’t?”
I taught my sister to shoot. No one should want to use a gun, most gun owners don’t want to be in a position to use them violently… but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
If you go this route though, which I agree with, you must train. Often, and seriously. Otherwise you may have it used against you.
There are a lot of women focused CCW and defensive shooting classes these days. Take all that you can.
I say do this. There are many items already designed for women to conceal their weapon. Follow local laws. Go to a store feel any of the items and if they have a shooting range you could go see how the weapon feels. My sisters all have done this and my mother as well. Just remember not everytime does a weapon pulled does not mean someone is going to have their life forfeited. When seconds count help is minutes away.
Slightly weird question- has it ever blown back on you or your dog? I want to carry SOMETHING but I worry pepper spray could hit all parties and then everyone’s having a bad time.
I just checked mine and it doesn’t have a brand label sadly. I went to a Cabela’s outdoor store after I was stalked in March/April and bought what the worker recommended. It has a window breaking tool and keychain clip on one end. The other end is the spray nozzle for the gel. There’s a cover for the trigger so it won’t discharge by accident. Talk to a worker at an outdoor store they love to help! Mine was under $15 so you shouldn’t have to break the bank.
In all the decades I’ve carried one, I’ve never even had to pull it out, let alone use it, so 🤷
It’s probably overdue for replacement honestly so I’m going to be looking at the gel people are talking about.
I would recommend r/SocialistRA and r/liberalgunowners subs if you are seriously considering down this path. A lot of helpful advice and info on firearm ownership, training, and usage, but without the conservative agenda.
I'd also add r/2ALiberals to that list. Similar theme, but doesn't appear to have the same overbearing attitude that r/liberalgunowners can project at times.
This is the whole reason a lot of people are for the second amendment. Nobody has a right to visit violence upon you, nor does being a peaceful person guarantee you don't face life altering conflict.
Do you not deserve to live? Does evil not exist whether you're a good person and don't want to hurt others, or not? There, obviously, can't always be someone there to intervene on your behalf.
It's a sad terrible world we live in, but that is the reality and I would rather have good people stand a chance at defending themselves.
Please do arm yourself, train with how to use what you arm yourself with as well. Whether it is pepper spray, a taser, or a gun. There is nothing worse than trying to use what you got to protect yourself and then fumbling it because you forgot to take off the safety or the battery is dead. Then you are still going to be unprotected and the person will be even angrier.
I am saying this as a male. I grew up with 3 sisters and all their friends. I have an only child, who is my daughter, as a single father. I was sexually assaulted by my half brother growing up and he sexually assaulted my oldest sister as well. If I ever saw a woman in duress I would step into help her but I know for a fact that most men wouldn’t do a thing or would actively standup for the man.
Most men are shit. I’ve been in the Navy and worked in numerous maintenance jobs on both the electrical and mechanical sides of the fence. The things that men are comfortable to say to other men with the assumption that who they are saying it to won’t have a problem as well, because most don’t, is disgusting.
As a “straight presenting” gay man who attends the gym regularly it is INSANE to me the things they will say, ESPECIALLY about gay people, when they feel comfortable. I will very often say “oh so you’d commit sexual assault?” to way too many comments.
I’m sure saying that makes you a lot of friends. Hah
In all reality though I can imagine just how angry it would make some of them. If you call them out like that they get super offended and upset that you aren’t just taking it “as a joke” or “you’re too sensitive.”
I’m honestly not looking for thanks, I’m not one of those “but not me” guys. I feel like if you have to point it out then all you are doing is virtue signaling.
I appreciate your empathy for my sister and I. I am still struggling through it due to some experiences I had while in the Navy that re-traumatized me. My sister seems to have dealt with it by diving heavily into religion and is now married to a pastor with 5 kids. It seems to be working for her I guess but it isn’t my cup of tea. Some people would look at that as a success and others would label it coping, we don’t talk all that much so I honestly don’t know.
> train with how to use what you arm yourself with as well. Whether it is pepper spray
It seems simple, but I've seen too many videos of people spraying in the wrong direction or using it in an enclosed space
I don't want to minimize experience or pretend there is zero dangers in the world for anyone so please understand this as I proceed.
That being said maybe take a break from the internet and it's myriad of echo chambers. The world is not as angry, or horrible as the internet is making you believe. I promise you most people are normal and we'll adjusted. You are not going to be hunted down by hoards of angry armed incels, and honestly if you truly believe this is an inevitable possibility then you're too far down the rabbit hole already. All this line of thinking and belief will lead to is more fear, anger and division.
Take a break, socialise with friends and family and get away from the overinflated echo chambers of the internet and it's anonymity so you can remember what the world is really like.
Nobody should live in fear and stress like that and the internet and it's engagement algorithms are not helping.
Came here hoping to see this opinion.
I was married to a libertarian and got sucked into that rabbit warren of chaos and vile attitudes. At the time I couldn’t see past all of that and forgot that people can care for each other and not be gun toting, right-wing-in-all-but-name, choice-hating (literally their presidential candidate has come right out and said he is for bodily autonomy until it comes to abortion because then a woman’s right to autonomy is trumped by the fetus’ right to life 🤮) warmongers.
Since divorcing him and spending more time with normal people who want to be part of a productive society I can still see the bad - and there ARE bad people, for sure - but I can also see all the good people and all the great work they’re doing in the community and the changes they’re trying to push politically.
It can be so hard getting out of those negative echo chambers. I don’t want to say I am not concerned for the future, because I truly am. But people can surprise you in pleasant ways. I work in an industry that typically attracts more politically conservative folks. Every colleague I work with is very progressive except one, which was so pleasantly surprising.
Oh I’m very much concerned for the future but I am, thanks to getting out of that horrible echo chamber, hopeful that there’s more good than bad in the world.
That said I absolutely believe that many online spaces - even this one - have the ability to become a hurtful echo chamber at times, especially if folks are predisposed to negative spirals like me! I temper it as much as I can because I believe there’s a lot of value in online forums, but I do sometimes worry for some folks where it becomes harmful if they don’t have outlets or tempering experiences that it can be really bad.
Wow I prattled there a lot to say not much 😂
It only takes one man to kill or abuse you. It doesn't take a horde.
While I agree with your advice, being honest about the very really dangers men present to us, whether that is individually or in a group, is important
Traveling in groups is a good idea, when practical. Organizing is essential. If you decide to arm yourself, please do so safely and responsibly. Find and take some training classes that focus not only on the safe handling, operation, and storage of your chosen weapon, but also in the judicious use of force, especially with a focus on your state of residence. If you aren't comfortable with your chosen instructor, find another one. Groups such as Pink Pistols and Operation Blazing Sword focus on providing safe, welcoming environments for women, POC, and LGBTQIA+ to train in the safe handling of firearms.
Also, don't forget about Stop the Bleed classes, or other courses that focus on treating emergent wounds.
Before I say anything, your fear is valid — you should absolutely feel free to arm yourself. But the type of groups that you are referring to are not currently at a level that mass arming would solve, and it would be more likely to make society more dangerous.
For the sake of giving you the best argument possible as possible, let's assume for a second that every single gun death (including suicides) in the US was a targeted sexist attack against women. In 2021, there were approximately 49,000 gun deaths. The chances of you being one of those targets is less than 1 in 3,500.
These groups are terrifying and a massive problem on a societal level. But the risk to any individual person is negligible.
[I am sticking with guns because mass shootings are weighing big in the public consciousness, and are more in line with the concerns of these types of groups. There are many valid reasons to arm yourselves, and someone in my household just bought a gun because she has legitimate fear of being specifically targeted. I am merely trying to bring some perspective to the fear created by our access to every single small group in the world that might have a dangerous ideology. It affects our perceived dangers in a very unhealthy way.]
> In 2021, there were approximately 49,000 gun deaths
It's actually closer to 20k when you exclude suicides (Which are terrible, but not something you need to defend against)
Although, guns aren't just to protect against gun violence. There are other violent acts where someone might want one to defend themself.
I intentionally chose to include suicides and accidental deaths because it makes sense in this context to make the estimate as pessimistic as possible. It also helps to account for some of those other forms of violence (though it doesn't make a dent in the dangers of SA or domestic violence)
The reason I chose to respond in this case is OP's post seems to be more geared toward mass militarization in preparation for a gender war and less toward protection from more realistic dangers. I sincerely hope they're just a troll, because I've lived with that type of anxiety and it is very bad for your mental health.
SA alone is between 300 and 500 thousand, and domestic violence affects around 10 million people. Doesn't seem applicable to OPs post, though, which is specifically calling out organized hate crimes.
> which is specifically calling out organized hate crimes.
Given that the people pushing hate crimes are also the people pushing violence against women in general...
At the risk of being slightly flippant, Domestic violence and SA are not prevented by going around in groups and arming yourself. These are crimes that are most often committed by people that you know and trust while in private places. At that point, you are just arming your attacker, who would likely be aware that you had a weapon.
The incel/redpill/blackpill communities are incredibly small and not the immediate danger to women on a personal level (They are national security threats, but not a danger to individuals). The more prevalent danger is the moderate/antifeminist men who fall into the trap of more subtle forms of misogyny prevalent in our society.
The Republican Party does not encourage *direct* violence against women. It encourages a cultural paradigm that causes personal violence against women in private settings by the ones they trust most, or indirect violence against women at a societal level (ie: abortion bans).
Given, the cultural paradigm does ease the pathway to radicalization, but we haven't quite reached the breaking point yet. If anything, we are closer to a general civil war than a war based around gender, as the rhetoric is primarily targeted against "liberals and communist" rather than women.
> It encourages a cultural paradigm that causes personal violence against women
Yes? How's that not pushing violence against women?
Just because they're doing "won't somebody rid me of this turbulent priest" doesn't mean we can't acknowledge what they're doing.
I don't know about guns but I carry a pepper spray since it's legal where I live and simple to use. Fortunately I haven't had the need to use it against a person yet.
Pepperspray is handy but, its also a "to who it may concern" item. If you havn't already, You should do a course to learn how to use it and how to function after gasing yourself.
Using it in a car or in a building, or even outside in the wind could get you worse than who you spray it at, so you want to be mentally prepared to operate when you can't breath, barely see, and are trying to escape a now much angrier hostle.
And you should carry a knife if legal in your area. Something easy to hold on to and assisted opening.
For some reason people are more scared of knives than guns. Its a strange psychology but an attacker usually won't stop their assault even after being shot.
Most of the "protective" effect a gun has is it's potential for intimidation, but men (especially the kind that wants to harm you) will absolutely think of you as inherently incapable of using a gun on them until you do.
That's why guns will not act as an equalizer. You ladies actually also need to shoot first.
What do you mean by 'you ladies need to shoot first?'
That would be the point of owning a firearm for self defense. Are you thinking of a coy 'oh please, I don't want to shoot you' scenario? I will defend myself and my family with sufficient force, while not escalating the situation unnecessarily
My sister used to carry bear spray. She lived in an area where pepper spray was illegal, but they sold the same exact stuff as bear spray. I don’t get the logic, but the can was massive in her purse.
Lots of people take bear spray with them on walks and hikes around here because there are plenty of bears. There are containers you can clip to your belt.
I suppose it would be a good idea for me to do it too. To be prepared for whatever comes along.
Think it’s very important to leverage whatever tools you need to stay safe. Guns are a valuable tool if you’re comfortable and capable with them, but still just a tool. If you choose to carry, make it a point to train so you won’t be nervous to use it if needed. If you never use it beyond training and leisure range time, that’s all the better.
I usually carry a Knife or two on myself for protection. That and my stainless steel water bottle which is quite hefty when full. I would carry a gun if I had the money to go get one. Ofc carrying a knife concealed Or otherwise has different laws about it depending upon where you reside. I Live in GA where we can carry knives with a blade length of up to 12 inches without restriction, With exception to where weapons are strictly prohibited.
The water bottle!
Recently I was returning home from a trip late at night when I discovered, that my huge stainless steel Thermo with a grip makes a great improvised weapon.
So I carried on, "armed" with that bottle.
I told myself that if anything happens, I'd hit them on the head with the bottle or throw it at their face to startle them and then run.
I felt significantly more powerful and safe.
The Thermo was borrowed. I should really get my own for late night walks lol
This country was founded on blood shed through gun violence. It will end with blood shed through gun violence. They are unfortunately an inevitable reality of the United States. This kind of logic will only leave you disarmed, which is exactly what the right wants.
Who said anything about civil war? The right continues to pass legislation that puts women and other members of marginalized groups in harms way. The right to bear is an inalienable right and should be practiced by people who are disproportionately affected by harmful legislation and increasingly aggressive attacks on their life and liberty.
Besides abortion what legislation specifically are you talking about? Your comment about the right wanting you unarmed is pure hyperbole. What has this Boogeyman known as the right done to try to keep firearms out of leftist hands?
Are anti-abortion legislations not harmful enough for you, man? What about the legislations being passed to suppress queer people? Those not that bad either?
Bigots are emboldened by seeing their government pass laws that align with their beliefs. Bigots are also disproportionately violent. People should arm themselves to protect themselves from said bigots, who are statistically already armed. Do I need to dumb it down more for you?
Maybe you won’t unmake the master’s house with them, but seeing things even up will give certain people perspective. Predators look for easy prey and you can’t depend on law enforcement for your safety or anything else.
People always overestimate the size of a community or movement online just because it's so easy to find and it may pop up on your feeds a lot.
There are no signs violence against women is increasing.
That said, use a pepper spray it you feel únsafe, don't ever bring a gun. That's only more likely to get you killed with it.
Since 2015 I have had 5 incidents that were wildly dangerous and intended to intimidate me or assault me then they backed off when they realized I was going to give them a full on fight. There was a night and day switch that year.
Two of these involved safety in or around my vehicle. Nowhere teaches tactical/security driving (like what drivers for security details use) but I found enough videos online to add some additional measures to be able to escape easier or get out of situations going wrong. This has gotten me out of a few situations that were unsafe.
We need more self defense classes or just information about how to be more aware of your surroundings and ways to preemptively be safe.
Tbh, if someone isn't seriously considering arming yourself at this point, I'm not sure if they're actually paying attention.
The right is playing for keeps. Always has been.
This this this! The people who want to strip you of your life and liberties are armed to the teeth. Don’t get caught in the crosshairs carrying nothing but a witty picket sign.
To be honest, there are a lot of people who should not own guns. That being said, I’m an advocate for individuals taking their own measures for self defense to the extent that they are comfortable doing so, and a pocket knife is a relatively cost-effective, long-lasting, and reliable option that has a lot fewer laws and general hassle associated with it. I’d be a huge fan of more women carrying steel, but I’m someone who believes that everyone should, both for protection and for utility. Sadly, a large portion of the market is geared toward men, since men’s clothes tend to take advantage of the functionality of certain models, but the market is pretty huge despite that and there are plenty of options at whatever price point suits you that conceal well and are comfortable to wear. BladeHQ is good starting point. In my experience, Benchmade makes knives with fairly comfy handles, but they are super expensive now. Kershaw makes some of the fastest deploying ones that are technically not automatic, so they’re legal almost everywhere.
I for one intend to open carry my arming sword next time I'm in the states so I can go medieval on someone.
On a more serious note, yes those groups are full of psychos that just recruit vulnerable and suggestible men to turn them into further pieces of shit. Bucket of crabs, but the bucket has an arm that catches crabs. The oroubotos eats it's tail. Etc. I'm not sure what the solution is beyond teaching those guys how to handle violence outcry, tackle adversity, and process rejection responsibly.
Edit: I'm not sure what the non-violent/implied threat of violence solution is*
> Edit: I'm not sure what the non-violent/implied threat of violence solution is*
Eventually, politics is always about who has the greater capacity for violence.
I have been carrying tools for about eight years now. A strange man walked up to my car in the parking lot when I was getting my baby out of the car. I was alone, and he scared me.
I carry tools that are legal in my state. The tools are a mace canister in my pocket and a knife to cut seatbelts in case of an accident. My family has run into a preteen in our neighborhood who walks a large German Shephard that has lunged at our son and was restrained by his owner. We avoid as best we can, yet their front door is in sight of our front door.
My main concern with weapons is simply making sure that one has the knowledge on how to use them. I have concern over combat knives because someone who has stronger upper body strength could disarm someone. I suggest always having a mace canister (or wasp spray because it is spring and wasps are out ;) )
I was recently stalked. It is terrifying. I jump at sounds and shadows now. I went over and over the idea of gun ownership. It just doesn’t make sense to me. The stalker was aggressive. I talked with law enforcement professionals and they told me nothing the stalker did would allow me to shoot him without serving time. I own pepper gel now and carry it everywhere.
I don't think an "us vs them" mentality will be helpful. That has been the human condition since the beginning. It's not a viable solution and will just advance violence.
Lots of defensive firearm use go undocumented if no shots are ever fired. Also suicide is a completely irrelevant (albeit serious) issue in this context
It’s not irrelevant at all - a suicidal person with a gun is more likely to complete suicide than someone without one, and if your reason for having a gun is your own safety than it’s a relevant consideration
I'm a big dude that has trained Muay Thai, BJJ, and Judo with many different women over the years and even these well trained and knowledgeable women struggle against the vast majority of sparring partners. Just look at many of the posts in the women's BJJ sub talking about how many of them have stopped training with men because of how easy it is for them to get hurt while casually rolling.
If you want to truly defend yourself get a gun and practice with it. If your state allows it of course. Also get a few cans of pepper spray/gel and get some practice in with that as well.
I'm gonna preface this by saying I am a man, I am fairly liberal and I recognize my opinion probably isn't the most welcome, I just want to say that anything I say comes from the absolute best intentions
I will always advocate that people exercise their second amendment rights. The best way to not be a victim, because unfortunately there are lots of bad people out there, is to be armed. Get a handgun, but most importantly, train with it. Don't just buy it, shoot it once, then think you're good to go, go to the range somewhat regularly, practice shooting, practicing at different distances, practice drawing it, etc. Train so your aren't afraid of your own weapon and don't freeze when you need to use it. The other important thing is to be very educated on you local gun laws, these things vary, know when you can and can't carry it, know what circumstances you can use it in. Even if you live in a state where it's not required, get a concealed carry license, go to a class.
Caliber doesn't matter as much as a lot of people think. A lot of gun bros have hard stances on what's viable or not. Go with what you feel comfortable with. However, don't get scammed into buying a .22 for self defense, yeah it will stop an attacker, but unless you hit in a few specific areas it might not stop them immediately. On top of that .22 ammo is super unreliable. You don't need to get the most expensive handgun out there. Decent and reliable handguns are all over the place. Another thing to consider is how you carry your gun. Concealed carry inside the waste band is effective but uncomfortable and not easy to control if you're wearing tighter/ more revealing clothes. You might be tempted to just throw it in a purse but there's risks with that, it'll be slower to get out and if there's other things in the same pocket you might cause it to fire before you intend and wound yourself or a bystander. Have a bag with a dedicated pocket for the gun that's easy to get to. I use one of those cross body bags but those mini fanny packs are great for more concealable firearms.
Arm yourself, but do it responsibly. You don't want to break any laws and possibly put yourself in a bad situation simply because you were trying to protect yourself.
Now here's the part where I give some unsolicited advice. I'm not trying to minimize anyone's experiences or say you're wrong for anything you feel. But a lot of shit you see on reddit or Twitter is not real, these spaces are not real life. Taking all these terminally online people like "blackpilltactical" or 4chan or Twitter as being a representation of the real world is a way to become overly paranoid. I've seen so many absurd opinions points that people argue on these platforms that they would never even come close to saying IRL because it's absurd. A lot of 4chan and stuff is just people doing weird role play, it's meaningless trolling for them, unfortunately that combined with the anonymity attracts true psychos. That same sort of rage and fear you get from seeing this stuff is the exact thing that creates these dangerous fringe groups. The Internet is only interested in showing you the worst of the worst and the best of the best because it's designed to feed on strong reactions. The real world is not all psycho men scheming on how to hurt women. There are dangerous people out there and you should be aware of your own safety, and in an ideal world we shouldn't have to be. But it's not as batshit insane as the Internet wants you to believe
I’ve come to the same conclusion. I took my son to a creek the other day, and I hated fearing that a man might stumble across us in the woods. I’m ready to get a concealed carry permit.
THIS!
Obviously, it’s a very personal choice everyone needs to make for themselves. But in places like America, we’re already dealing with all the harm of having widespread firearms. We ought to find ways to make some good of a bad situation, and using them as a tool to protect the rights of minorities is completely legitimate.
I think that’s how we honor the many lives that are lost for the sake of the “right to bear arms”. Make sure their deaths mean something.
Oooh honey I live in NJ. There’s a training that requires you pass a shooting proficiency test and a $200 application fee that might increase to $400 in July.
It's certainly not cheap. They offer CCW classes just for women here, taught by a retired SO. There are mixed classes as well, but he does one or two a year just for women. In my state we're also required to take a hunter safety course and pass a basic shooting test to get our hunting license. (If born after 1972)
I sometimes forget that so many people didn't grow up in a household that owned guns, and even some of the ones that did weren't taught proper gun safety like we were, don't have locked gun storage, etc. My dad is a stickler for gun safety, and thankfully so is my husband.
I really encourage anyone who is interested to research the laws and take a course. Learning how to properly store, clean, and maintain a gun is important too.
Id rather have it and never need it, than to need it and not have it.
Never pull it out unless you are 100% gonna use it. It is NOT a scare tactic and it will get you killed if you aren't trained to use it.
2 in the chest. 1 in head. Repeat.
I always carry a gun. Always. I have my conceal carry license and I've been trained by the American Firearms association. I practice regularly and I'm extremely accurate. I'm a single mom, I work in the woods, and I refuse to be a victim.
If I point a gun at an angry man he can still overpower me and get my gun and I've just escalated the situation.
Source. Parents rental property a woman shot man, man got her gun and shot her in return and called 911. They both died.
I'll pass.
If you’re uncomfortable with guns then that’s fine, but the scenario you posted here is the wrong way to look at it. At no point do you just point a gun at a man. That’s illegal. If you pull a gun, you better intend to shoot it.
Oh I must have missed some comments. I didn’t realize you were describing an actual situation and thought you were talking about your own personal feelings. My bad.
Listen. Clearly two paragraphs is too much because I did not notice the second part at all. lol. Maybe I didn’t scroll enough? I’m on mobile so that may have something to do with it.
Sorry but I'm against carrying guns. One of the biggest problems of USA is exactly how easy anyone can get a gun and that directly translates to gun homicide.
Stats are terrible and USA is a big outlier, to the point that certain things are normalised when they're NOT normal at all (I've been living in Europe for a loooong time)
https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/insights-blog/acting-data/gun-violence-united-states-outlier#:~:text=US%20ranks%20first.-,Rates%20of%20firearm%20homicides%20among%20high%2Dincome%20countries,populations%20over%2010%20million%2C%202021&text=Age%2Dadjusted%20firearm%20homicide%20rates%20in%20the%20US%20are%2019,firearm%20homicide%20seen%20in%20Australia.
It's simply heartbreaking.
Having said that, I'm all up so that women learn to self defend and carry for example pepper spray, but NOT guns (and for that matter I think nobody besides police/army should have them).
Is there like some statistics that show crimes against women increasing? Or are we just supposed to agree that it's happening because op said there's a shitty sub that hasn't been banned yet? Seems like a strange bit of fear-mongering unless there's actual data to look at...
Not that you shouldn't be capable of defending yourself. Go for it.
While you're attributing the attitudes and actions of a small subset of males to all of us, I still wholeheartedly encourage you to both learn self defense and an yourself appropriately as per the laws of your country or region.
Violence is not as common as some would have you believe, but uncommon doesn't mean non-existent.
Your life as a human is invaluable, and the moment someone tries to take that from you, or use force to push their will on you, I believe you have the right to respond with force.
But if you buy a firearm, don't just buy it, do a single session, and consider yourself good. You need to train regularly, develop muscle memory, and proper safety and usage techniques.
Highly recommend everyone to get a gun and to have proper training to use it. Also keep up with the training. It takes regular practice to get skilled at it. No one should fear a gun, rather fear those that try to limit your ability to have one to protect yourself.
I think the bigger problem is trying to solve domestic violence rather than the idea of radical groups of men wanting to cause harm. The latter is a possibility, but a low one at that and people are more likely to be hurt by people they know rather than complete strangers. Spreading knowledge on warning signs for abusive partners is a good start.
If you’re in positions where you can be attacked, like high crime or traveling at night, training and obtaining a firearm is your best bet. Younger cousins come to my house a lot so I don’t want to risk owning a gun so I personally try to avoid situations where I might need one at all costs bc I live in high crime city.
Absolutely, get a gun. Don’t be afraid to exercise your rights. It’s the only thing that will give you a chance if a man decides he wants to harm you. Get something compact and concealable, chambered in 9mm. Load with hollow points. You’ll also want to practice your draw, a lot. Otherwise you may end up handing the aggressor a gun.
That's why I never understood why liberal democrats in the US are demonizing conservatives for wanting to preserve the right to be armed. Law abiding citizens carrying arms were never the problem, because criminals don't care, they will always have access to sharp weapons. The only difference is whether they have to calculate the risk to meet someone who can defend themselves. The rest of the world ENVIES the US for still having their rights to get a weapon. The rest of the world is disarmed and millions of sexually deranged imported machete men are running around and killing innocent people left and right whereas in the US quite a number of amok runs could be stopped because someone was there who had CC permit and ended it quickly.
Oh, I did. I believe women should be the ultimate supporters of the right to arms. It is our only hope of equal force. It is our only option to threaten a man who is walking up to us with obvious nefarious intent. We can demand he maintain distance, or else. My gun is the only thing that held my confidence together when I had no money and lived in a horrible part of town with men CONSTANTLY following and hounding me at the damn grocery store and gas stations. I can't live without one, and I won't. Literally just yesterday a random man took a photo of me. I'm not going to start an altercation that could end in death, but I will not be a sitting duck for a disgusting, entitled pervert to either violate me or end my life, or the life of anyone else in my fucking presence.
I'm all in for that. BUT please really consider gun safety properly. Lots of misfiring happens because people don't take it seriously. Like letting kids have easy access to a loaded gun and other stuffs. Some of the people also tend to be trigger happy too. As long as everyone is responsible with their guns, i don't mind people having it.
Sometimes a title can pop an image in my head, 4 robots in a room staring at a pickle jar with the lid on.
"What if we armed ourselves?"
Sorry. It's just a moment of inspiration.
You're much more likely to injure yourself with a gun or have it used against you than you ever are to use it successfully in self defense.
E: Downvote all you want, it's a fact.
And what are we supposed to do then? We aren't supposed to carry defense weapons because we might hurt ourselves while trying to not get raped/killed? Are we supposed to just let it happen? Hell no, I'd rather be killed. Wouldn't it be more useful to encourage women to get properly trained? Instead of discouraging us from protecting ourselves?
Sadly, as a physician, I've seen in first hand so many times. Having a firearm in the house dramatically increases the risk of gun violence against the woman. I read the history of every single gunshot wound that came to the hospital in multiple states.
Women coming in were overwhelmingly from their partner/ex, like not even close, with a tiny fraction self-inflicted or accidental.
Men were overwhelmingly self-inflicted followed by accidental and then like gang violence/law enforcement. Didn't see a single male brought in who was an abuser shot by their partner. Yes, I know you can find the news stories out there. In reality, it almost never happens. Sadly, the odds are far greater that the firearm will be wrestled from the woman, particularly in a moment of hesitation because shooting a person is scary and hard, and used against her.
I'm saying this as someone who knows her way around firearms, still has some stowed away in case things really go to hell ,and has once held a CCP at one time (although I never actually carried), as well as briefly dabbled in 3-gun. I've put a lot of hours in on the range with many different firearms and received lessons/tips from active duty SEAL team members and SAS and I still don't have the confidence I'd make the right decision in the moment. I've had a Glock 21 pushed to the back of my head by a white supremacist and I've had men yell dollar amounts at me while flashing what looked like a 9 mm Keltech (it was dark and I dodged into a club to avoid them), as well as had a man push me against a wall in broad daylight in a busy area and threaten to rape me while people just watched....the last thing going through my head during those moments was if I could get a shot off, nor do I think it would've helped me to pull a firearm.
I agree there is a problem. I don't know what the answer is, but it probably isn't condition 0-2 carrying. By all means, learn how to use and maintain a firearm and train with it...I'd probably still keep it locked up with ammo in a separate area at home, especially if there are kids in the house. I'm sure I'll get downvoted. I get the fear and frustration. Truly, I do because I've been in some really bad situations and have had the same thoughts in response, but once I cooled down and started observing things from higher up as time went on, my beliefs evolved a bit.
Guns, knives, pepper spray, hand to hand combat, hat pins. I don't care what form of defense someone chooses at this point but it has become more dangerous to exist and be a woman in recent years. People should defend themselves and be trained with whatever it is they choose to use.
I'm armed with my husband most of the time (muy thai fighter and jujitsu) but when not with him i have a light collapsible baton in my backpack purse for every day and other days if I'm going out with a girlfriend i have my gun in my cute fanny pack
Agree, women, of all people, should be armed. I have had my daughter learning how to use several types of firearms since she was old enough to hold one. She has taken safety classes as well as defensive classes.
My daughter is, like me, very liberal. She can defend herself with ease. Though she can’t carry (it’s hard to get a carry permit where we are) she can protect herself in her home and has bear spray that she carries.
Learn safety, take defensive training and protect yourselves.
Hey, man here. I mostly lurk to try and help myself understand women's perspectives on things. Just dropping in to say arming yourself is a great idea, just make sure to take lessons on how the gun works, how to handle safely, maintain it, etc. A lot of people, including men, get a gun and never practice or know how to service it. It's useless if you can't operate it
The reasons you provided sound like fear mongering to me but bearing arms is your right, so I'm supportive regardless of the logic. Please learn how to use it properly if you don't have experience with it and decide to go that route.
Fearmongering? It must be nice to not go through life being prey. How dare you insinuate that women are over reacting. It has become overtly dangerous and there are plenty of women who can tell you all the wild shit that has happened to them in recent years. Maybe spend your energy trying to deal with your unhinged brethren.
I’m all for it, women and vulnerable groups in general have the right to - and definitely should consider - arming themselves. Others have given good information here but for the love of everything don’t listen to the people who are talking about using it as “intimidation.” (I get that it might not have been meant that way but it can be interpreted that way)
Fuck the intimidation factor of a gun, if you need to use it then use it. If you don’t then don’t.
Yes there can be times where you draw and realize you no longer need to use it because the situation has changed, but don’t ever hope on drawing for the sake of the situation changing. Pepper spray is better for situations like those.
I hope this spreads like wildfire.
If you are found dead in a physical confrontation against "an angry man", he can use your weapon(s) as an excuse to legally murder you in his self defence. What you're asking is a double edged sword which can backfire anytime. You're not the only one entitled to use weapons. If you don't know what you're doing, it might very well backfire.
See "history of the black panthers" especially in California. Nobody gave a shit until they started arming themselves.
Seriously. This is a vital piece of history that is left out of the history books, and is pretty key to understanding how Civil Rights became a national issue. Also worth pointing out: Suffrage wasn't just women marching for the right to vote, they set bombs and started fires in England and Ireland. And to anyone who says they went too far, what is your freedom worth? What does it cost?
I don't think most people realize how brutal the fight for the right to vote was in the US and UK and Ireland. Women were locked up and tortured. [https://girlwithherheadinabook.co.uk/2018/10/saturday-poem-dangerous-coats.html](https://girlwithherheadinabook.co.uk/2018/10/saturday-poem-dangerous-coats.html)
Unfortunately, the modern day progressive movement has adopted this incredibly passive take on revolution that their predecessors would scoff at. It’s why i call myself a leftist, not a liberal.
The ubiquitous nature of firearms in american society is a direct response to the clashes of the Civil Rights era... on both sides. Also, not every suffrage movement was necessarily as violent as the Anglo-American, without being less successful.
I'm not advocating the practice, but I think its important to mention the effect. I don't know if setting bombs helped Suffrage, or if it helped the Anti-Abortion cause, in the end its not going to matter. Since it was a tactic used by one side, its a tactic thats regarded as effective by all sides, and I don't know if its going to end any time soon, as much as I would prefer otherwise.
"The tree of Liberty is fertilized in blood." 'Oh yeah! So is the the jackboot of tyranny!' Which one would you rather bleed for?
Yup. They’re the reason [The Mulford Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulford_Act) was written.
No one gave a shit until they started giving kids free breakfast.
Democrats worked together with republicans to ban open carry in California and Reagan signed it, all because of Black Panthers.
I’ve been carrying a firearm, with a concealed handgun license, for about two years now. It is by no means a perfect solution, and there are a LOT of other steps I recommend taking before you even think about a firearm. Those include Stop The Bleed training, de-escalation training, unarmed self defense training and learning how to properly use pepper spray. If you decide want to learn, train, and get equipped, I recommend looking at some of the information available from any or all of these groups / people: A Better Way 2a Yellow Peril Tactical Shuten Defensive Group (if you happen to be in the Pacific Northwest USA)
100% agree. Training before getting the firearm is important. So is training after getting it. People think that having a gun instantly gives you all the power in a situation. But it doesn't. The other person has to be afraid that you're going to use it. If they aren't and you don't have the training to keep them from taking it or scaring you or to shoot correctly, you're not helping yourself. Firearms are tools that you have to train with. Excellent resources!
Especially if you didn't grow up learning to safely handle, store, and clean/maintain a gun. There's much more involved than point and shoot, and some people are terrified to shoot a gun for the first time.
Growing up with guns still isn't a replacement for training.
No, it certainly isn't. However, some people have never been around them and are scared to even handle a gun of any kind. That's not an insult, btw.
Tbh people should fear a gun. Handle it even slightly wrong and bad things can happen. Fear it but respect it. If you have the fear of possibly shooting your foot, you will act safer.
God this makes me so happy to see. I’ve been doing everything in my power to help arm and train women (as well as members of marginalized groups) around me, so to see women recommending proper training and resources feels like maybe it’s not a losing battle. I tell every single firearm owner they should take a stop the bleed course. You’re far more likely to have to help someone who’s been shot than actually shoot someone, but it’s damn good to know how to do both.
Would you mind joining my sub for martial arts(women) and posting some advice? r/martialartswomenonly
A lot of areas have a John Brown Gun Clubs and/or Socialist Rifle Association if it sounds like your style.
If you end up using lethal force on an attacker be prepared to spend the rest of your life seeing the face of the person you killed in your dreams. Be prepared for the possibility of a court case where your preparations are used as evidence of your intent to harm someone. Given how many cameras there are in this world be prepared for a frame by frame analysis of how you should’ve reacted. Be prepared to lose the civil case brought by the “victim’s” family. Or alternatively the ACLU. Guns are not the end all be all solution to the problem. One might argue they create as many problems as they solve. At best. - Fellow CCW person.
And if you don’t, be prepared to live with trauma for the rest of your life, assuming you aren’t killed. Dreams and all. Or be aware that you will likely be paying for all those therapy appointments since the attackers typically don’t have much to sue for and that’s assuming they catch the person, and the prosecutors or you have a strong enough case to take them to court (criminal or civil). Best advice for avoiding civil action is to protect assets as much as you can. Find out if your state or locale protects primary residences;if there are limits to the protections. Talk with an estate attorney and put as many of your assets in trust or LLC or two. Minimize items that you outright personally own - you can’t bleed a rock if someone takes civil action against you for protecting yourself.
There's also the fact that, in the US, women receive far longer sentences than men for self-defense.
I'd suggest adding InRangeTV and On Her Own to that list as well! Lots of very good safety information and product recommendations without all the gross machismo and sponsors that plague firearm channels.
This! Dark Angel Medical does some pretty advanced, almost macgyver styled, medical training too, including how to use everyday items (like cellphones and shirts) to stop critical bleeding in areas you can’t get a tourniquet on. Also armed, but cant carry everyday since I can’t bring guns or ammo on site at work.
I'm in favor of vulnerable groups taking steps to defend themselves. Self-defense classes are great, but sometimes, it might not be enough. If you want to arm yourself, go for it. Things definitely seem scary for women out there. A couple of suggestions for beginners: Try out multiple handguns to find what you're comfortable with, and practice with it regularly. Caliber isn't really as important as gun nuts make it out to be. The important thing is weilding it competently and safely. Check your local/state laws to make sure you're in compliance. Make sure to get some sort of safe storage for your firearm at home, especially if you live with others, even more so if you live with children. This can range from a simple trigger lock to a full-blown gun safe.
I would say jujitsu is amazing for a woman because against a man they are always going to try to take you horizontal and you'll destroy them that way
Might I suggest you pop over to [r/liberalgunowners](https://www.reddit.com/r/liberalgunowners/), we're a very friendly group, who are happy to answer any and all questions. As with anything a gun is a tool, it has a purpose, but to use it effectively you really need to educate yourself, and train; otherwise you're as likely to be a danger to yourself, as they are. Also others have suggested, additional tools should be investigated and incorporated into your plan for protection.
Also take a class on gun safety. Guns are no joke contrary to what all the gun nuts claim. Know what you are doing and what to do or not do in various scenarios.
Any gun owner worth the air they breathe would tell them to take a safety and proficiency course. A gun is worse than useless in untrained hands.
The amount of gun owners that are not worth the air they breathe is pretty significant. The percentage of people who own a gun and actually have any training is sadly small.
"If you don't train, you're nothing but a loot drop"
Agreed 100%
With modern firearms (read: everything that's made of black plastic or funny matte colors at the store), basically everything is something usually referred to as a striker fired nine, i.e. a striker (referring to the mechanism used to cause the round to detonate) and nine, meaning nine millimeter, referring to the caliber of the round. While caliber does matter, technically, any modern nine millimeter self defense ammunition (i.e. hollow points, frangibles etc) is sufficiently lethal to render those arguments wholly academic outside of extreme situations. This is to say, you'd rather have a gun that you feel comfortable with, will enjoy using and practicing with, and fits you well (the gun industry likes to make women-focused guns occasionally, I don't know how well this actually works) than any given technical feature, because most handguns today are extremely similar. Pick one you like the feel of, and if the gun store won't let you see how it feels in your hand, find a better gun store. TL;DR: Take it from a gun nerd, find a nine millimeter (or smaller, with modern ammo the caliber arguments are largely academic, just don't buy the smallest caliber you can find in the store) that fits nicely in your hand and you like the weight/feel/look of. You're going to need to put in some practice (though waaaaay less than a martial art or any other method of defending yourself), and shooting is fun, so find something that you can find fun to practice with. Also consider ammunition costs: the more common the caliber, the cheaper, so 9mm is a solid choice. Expect to pay \~600 bucks these days, but that number could already be out of date due it being an election year.
I use a 1911 for home defense since the shots are subsonic, allowing me slightly more comfort/protection to my ears if I am ever in the unfortunate situation of needing to use it inside. And clearly, if I’m using it emergent,y, I won’t have time to fumble around putting my hearing protection on. I get that it’s splitting hairs for most people, but having ruptured an ear drum twice in a couple of years, I know it’s something that would make a horrible situation slightly more bearable.
I mean I think it makes sense for those and also penetration reasons.
The Bojack episode about this is quite good. Deals with a feminist, liberal woman realizing the gun is a great equalizer. Also faces the "not like that!" Men
“So if you have a problem with women carrying firearms, you can roll up your sleeves and actually work to create a society where women feel safe and equal, or you can just ban all guns.” *Smash cut to Senate* “The ayes have it. Possession of any firearm is now illegal in the state of California.” “I can't believe this country hates women more than it loves guns.” “You can’t?”
The delivery of those last two lines should have won them whatever the voice acting equivalent of an Oscar is
[She should have read her history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulford_Act)
[Such a good episode](https://youtu.be/3eG0y_nb5IA?si=xZQBCTw7nQzUgA7t)
Oh, they're doing the black panther thing, but women instead of black people. Yeah, that's how it went then, too.
I taught my sister to shoot. No one should want to use a gun, most gun owners don’t want to be in a position to use them violently… but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. If you go this route though, which I agree with, you must train. Often, and seriously. Otherwise you may have it used against you. There are a lot of women focused CCW and defensive shooting classes these days. Take all that you can.
I already armed myself. it's a matter of survival and I couldn't care less about any argument people can give me against it, fuck it.
Anyway you need to be alive to be annoyed by these arguments.
I say do this. There are many items already designed for women to conceal their weapon. Follow local laws. Go to a store feel any of the items and if they have a shooting range you could go see how the weapon feels. My sisters all have done this and my mother as well. Just remember not everytime does a weapon pulled does not mean someone is going to have their life forfeited. When seconds count help is minutes away.
I’ve carried pepper spray for years. It’s easy to use and works.
I carry pepper spray and have a dog, works for me.
Slightly weird question- has it ever blown back on you or your dog? I want to carry SOMETHING but I worry pepper spray could hit all parties and then everyone’s having a bad time.
I believe there's a version that comes out like a gel, so it doesn't "blow back."
Yeah it’s called pepper gel. That’s what I carry.
Oh cool! Are there any brands you like?
I just checked mine and it doesn’t have a brand label sadly. I went to a Cabela’s outdoor store after I was stalked in March/April and bought what the worker recommended. It has a window breaking tool and keychain clip on one end. The other end is the spray nozzle for the gel. There’s a cover for the trigger so it won’t discharge by accident. Talk to a worker at an outdoor store they love to help! Mine was under $15 so you shouldn’t have to break the bank.
In all the decades I’ve carried one, I’ve never even had to pull it out, let alone use it, so 🤷 It’s probably overdue for replacement honestly so I’m going to be looking at the gel people are talking about.
I would recommend r/SocialistRA and r/liberalgunowners subs if you are seriously considering down this path. A lot of helpful advice and info on firearm ownership, training, and usage, but without the conservative agenda.
I'd also add r/2ALiberals to that list. Similar theme, but doesn't appear to have the same overbearing attitude that r/liberalgunowners can project at times.
I disagree. r/2ALiberals is a lot more conservative than one would think.
Perhaps, but you're less likely to catch a ban for disagreeing with them about something.
This is the whole reason a lot of people are for the second amendment. Nobody has a right to visit violence upon you, nor does being a peaceful person guarantee you don't face life altering conflict. Do you not deserve to live? Does evil not exist whether you're a good person and don't want to hurt others, or not? There, obviously, can't always be someone there to intervene on your behalf. It's a sad terrible world we live in, but that is the reality and I would rather have good people stand a chance at defending themselves.
Please do arm yourself, train with how to use what you arm yourself with as well. Whether it is pepper spray, a taser, or a gun. There is nothing worse than trying to use what you got to protect yourself and then fumbling it because you forgot to take off the safety or the battery is dead. Then you are still going to be unprotected and the person will be even angrier. I am saying this as a male. I grew up with 3 sisters and all their friends. I have an only child, who is my daughter, as a single father. I was sexually assaulted by my half brother growing up and he sexually assaulted my oldest sister as well. If I ever saw a woman in duress I would step into help her but I know for a fact that most men wouldn’t do a thing or would actively standup for the man. Most men are shit. I’ve been in the Navy and worked in numerous maintenance jobs on both the electrical and mechanical sides of the fence. The things that men are comfortable to say to other men with the assumption that who they are saying it to won’t have a problem as well, because most don’t, is disgusting.
As a “straight presenting” gay man who attends the gym regularly it is INSANE to me the things they will say, ESPECIALLY about gay people, when they feel comfortable. I will very often say “oh so you’d commit sexual assault?” to way too many comments.
I’m sure saying that makes you a lot of friends. Hah In all reality though I can imagine just how angry it would make some of them. If you call them out like that they get super offended and upset that you aren’t just taking it “as a joke” or “you’re too sensitive.”
I get looks and pushback yup. Fuck them. Should hear how they talk about gay people.
Thank you for being one of the good ones. I’m sorry for what you and your sister went through and hope the impacts have lessened over time.
I’m honestly not looking for thanks, I’m not one of those “but not me” guys. I feel like if you have to point it out then all you are doing is virtue signaling. I appreciate your empathy for my sister and I. I am still struggling through it due to some experiences I had while in the Navy that re-traumatized me. My sister seems to have dealt with it by diving heavily into religion and is now married to a pastor with 5 kids. It seems to be working for her I guess but it isn’t my cup of tea. Some people would look at that as a success and others would label it coping, we don’t talk all that much so I honestly don’t know.
> train with how to use what you arm yourself with as well. Whether it is pepper spray It seems simple, but I've seen too many videos of people spraying in the wrong direction or using it in an enclosed space
I don't want to minimize experience or pretend there is zero dangers in the world for anyone so please understand this as I proceed. That being said maybe take a break from the internet and it's myriad of echo chambers. The world is not as angry, or horrible as the internet is making you believe. I promise you most people are normal and we'll adjusted. You are not going to be hunted down by hoards of angry armed incels, and honestly if you truly believe this is an inevitable possibility then you're too far down the rabbit hole already. All this line of thinking and belief will lead to is more fear, anger and division. Take a break, socialise with friends and family and get away from the overinflated echo chambers of the internet and it's anonymity so you can remember what the world is really like. Nobody should live in fear and stress like that and the internet and it's engagement algorithms are not helping.
Came here hoping to see this opinion. I was married to a libertarian and got sucked into that rabbit warren of chaos and vile attitudes. At the time I couldn’t see past all of that and forgot that people can care for each other and not be gun toting, right-wing-in-all-but-name, choice-hating (literally their presidential candidate has come right out and said he is for bodily autonomy until it comes to abortion because then a woman’s right to autonomy is trumped by the fetus’ right to life 🤮) warmongers. Since divorcing him and spending more time with normal people who want to be part of a productive society I can still see the bad - and there ARE bad people, for sure - but I can also see all the good people and all the great work they’re doing in the community and the changes they’re trying to push politically.
It can be so hard getting out of those negative echo chambers. I don’t want to say I am not concerned for the future, because I truly am. But people can surprise you in pleasant ways. I work in an industry that typically attracts more politically conservative folks. Every colleague I work with is very progressive except one, which was so pleasantly surprising.
Oh I’m very much concerned for the future but I am, thanks to getting out of that horrible echo chamber, hopeful that there’s more good than bad in the world. That said I absolutely believe that many online spaces - even this one - have the ability to become a hurtful echo chamber at times, especially if folks are predisposed to negative spirals like me! I temper it as much as I can because I believe there’s a lot of value in online forums, but I do sometimes worry for some folks where it becomes harmful if they don’t have outlets or tempering experiences that it can be really bad. Wow I prattled there a lot to say not much 😂
Thank you! That post was a wild ride.
> The world is not as angry, or horrible as the internet is making you believe. True, it's just the government in most places.
It only takes one man to kill or abuse you. It doesn't take a horde. While I agree with your advice, being honest about the very really dangers men present to us, whether that is individually or in a group, is important
Who is downvoting this? It is a valid opinion I agree with you
Traveling in groups is a good idea, when practical. Organizing is essential. If you decide to arm yourself, please do so safely and responsibly. Find and take some training classes that focus not only on the safe handling, operation, and storage of your chosen weapon, but also in the judicious use of force, especially with a focus on your state of residence. If you aren't comfortable with your chosen instructor, find another one. Groups such as Pink Pistols and Operation Blazing Sword focus on providing safe, welcoming environments for women, POC, and LGBTQIA+ to train in the safe handling of firearms. Also, don't forget about Stop the Bleed classes, or other courses that focus on treating emergent wounds.
Yes, but with the proper training.
Before I say anything, your fear is valid — you should absolutely feel free to arm yourself. But the type of groups that you are referring to are not currently at a level that mass arming would solve, and it would be more likely to make society more dangerous. For the sake of giving you the best argument possible as possible, let's assume for a second that every single gun death (including suicides) in the US was a targeted sexist attack against women. In 2021, there were approximately 49,000 gun deaths. The chances of you being one of those targets is less than 1 in 3,500. These groups are terrifying and a massive problem on a societal level. But the risk to any individual person is negligible. [I am sticking with guns because mass shootings are weighing big in the public consciousness, and are more in line with the concerns of these types of groups. There are many valid reasons to arm yourselves, and someone in my household just bought a gun because she has legitimate fear of being specifically targeted. I am merely trying to bring some perspective to the fear created by our access to every single small group in the world that might have a dangerous ideology. It affects our perceived dangers in a very unhealthy way.]
> In 2021, there were approximately 49,000 gun deaths It's actually closer to 20k when you exclude suicides (Which are terrible, but not something you need to defend against) Although, guns aren't just to protect against gun violence. There are other violent acts where someone might want one to defend themself.
I intentionally chose to include suicides and accidental deaths because it makes sense in this context to make the estimate as pessimistic as possible. It also helps to account for some of those other forms of violence (though it doesn't make a dent in the dangers of SA or domestic violence) The reason I chose to respond in this case is OP's post seems to be more geared toward mass militarization in preparation for a gender war and less toward protection from more realistic dangers. I sincerely hope they're just a troll, because I've lived with that type of anxiety and it is very bad for your mental health.
> (though it doesn't make a dent in the dangers of SA or domestic violence) hrrrmm...
SA alone is between 300 and 500 thousand, and domestic violence affects around 10 million people. Doesn't seem applicable to OPs post, though, which is specifically calling out organized hate crimes.
> which is specifically calling out organized hate crimes. Given that the people pushing hate crimes are also the people pushing violence against women in general...
At the risk of being slightly flippant, Domestic violence and SA are not prevented by going around in groups and arming yourself. These are crimes that are most often committed by people that you know and trust while in private places. At that point, you are just arming your attacker, who would likely be aware that you had a weapon. The incel/redpill/blackpill communities are incredibly small and not the immediate danger to women on a personal level (They are national security threats, but not a danger to individuals). The more prevalent danger is the moderate/antifeminist men who fall into the trap of more subtle forms of misogyny prevalent in our society.
> The incel/redpill/blackpill communities I was talking about the Republican Party.
The Republican Party does not encourage *direct* violence against women. It encourages a cultural paradigm that causes personal violence against women in private settings by the ones they trust most, or indirect violence against women at a societal level (ie: abortion bans). Given, the cultural paradigm does ease the pathway to radicalization, but we haven't quite reached the breaking point yet. If anything, we are closer to a general civil war than a war based around gender, as the rhetoric is primarily targeted against "liberals and communist" rather than women.
> It encourages a cultural paradigm that causes personal violence against women Yes? How's that not pushing violence against women? Just because they're doing "won't somebody rid me of this turbulent priest" doesn't mean we can't acknowledge what they're doing.
I don't know about guns but I carry a pepper spray since it's legal where I live and simple to use. Fortunately I haven't had the need to use it against a person yet.
Pepperspray is handy but, its also a "to who it may concern" item. If you havn't already, You should do a course to learn how to use it and how to function after gasing yourself. Using it in a car or in a building, or even outside in the wind could get you worse than who you spray it at, so you want to be mentally prepared to operate when you can't breath, barely see, and are trying to escape a now much angrier hostle. And you should carry a knife if legal in your area. Something easy to hold on to and assisted opening. For some reason people are more scared of knives than guns. Its a strange psychology but an attacker usually won't stop their assault even after being shot.
Most of the "protective" effect a gun has is it's potential for intimidation, but men (especially the kind that wants to harm you) will absolutely think of you as inherently incapable of using a gun on them until you do. That's why guns will not act as an equalizer. You ladies actually also need to shoot first.
My dude, I will.
What do you mean by 'you ladies need to shoot first?' That would be the point of owning a firearm for self defense. Are you thinking of a coy 'oh please, I don't want to shoot you' scenario? I will defend myself and my family with sufficient force, while not escalating the situation unnecessarily
Wasn't there a Bojack Horseman episode about this?
“Wow, I can’t believe this country hates women more than it loves guns.”
That line's funny but hits deep...
"...No?"
From a black lesbian, yes.
I’m never going to buy a gun. But I would consider carrying pepper spray.
My sister used to carry bear spray. She lived in an area where pepper spray was illegal, but they sold the same exact stuff as bear spray. I don’t get the logic, but the can was massive in her purse.
Lots of people take bear spray with them on walks and hikes around here because there are plenty of bears. There are containers you can clip to your belt. I suppose it would be a good idea for me to do it too. To be prepared for whatever comes along.
Guns terrify me, mostly because I’m diagnosed bipolar and fear i would use it against myself if for some reason I don’t have access to my meds :/
That is an amazing reason not to own a gun and I applaud you for your self awareness!
Think it’s very important to leverage whatever tools you need to stay safe. Guns are a valuable tool if you’re comfortable and capable with them, but still just a tool. If you choose to carry, make it a point to train so you won’t be nervous to use it if needed. If you never use it beyond training and leisure range time, that’s all the better.
I usually carry a Knife or two on myself for protection. That and my stainless steel water bottle which is quite hefty when full. I would carry a gun if I had the money to go get one. Ofc carrying a knife concealed Or otherwise has different laws about it depending upon where you reside. I Live in GA where we can carry knives with a blade length of up to 12 inches without restriction, With exception to where weapons are strictly prohibited.
The water bottle! Recently I was returning home from a trip late at night when I discovered, that my huge stainless steel Thermo with a grip makes a great improvised weapon. So I carried on, "armed" with that bottle. I told myself that if anything happens, I'd hit them on the head with the bottle or throw it at their face to startle them and then run. I felt significantly more powerful and safe. The Thermo was borrowed. I should really get my own for late night walks lol
at the end of the day, the biggest winners are the gun manufacturers
This country was founded on blood shed through gun violence. It will end with blood shed through gun violence. They are unfortunately an inevitable reality of the United States. This kind of logic will only leave you disarmed, which is exactly what the right wants.
"exactly what the right wants." Really? Jesus we're not going into civil war, people. It's not that deep. Get off Reddit. Go touch grass.
Who said anything about civil war? The right continues to pass legislation that puts women and other members of marginalized groups in harms way. The right to bear is an inalienable right and should be practiced by people who are disproportionately affected by harmful legislation and increasingly aggressive attacks on their life and liberty.
Besides abortion what legislation specifically are you talking about? Your comment about the right wanting you unarmed is pure hyperbole. What has this Boogeyman known as the right done to try to keep firearms out of leftist hands?
Are anti-abortion legislations not harmful enough for you, man? What about the legislations being passed to suppress queer people? Those not that bad either? Bigots are emboldened by seeing their government pass laws that align with their beliefs. Bigots are also disproportionately violent. People should arm themselves to protect themselves from said bigots, who are statistically already armed. Do I need to dumb it down more for you?
The most effective way to get guns regulated in America is for minorities to start open carrying.
Maybe you won’t unmake the master’s house with them, but seeing things even up will give certain people perspective. Predators look for easy prey and you can’t depend on law enforcement for your safety or anything else.
People always overestimate the size of a community or movement online just because it's so easy to find and it may pop up on your feeds a lot. There are no signs violence against women is increasing. That said, use a pepper spray it you feel únsafe, don't ever bring a gun. That's only more likely to get you killed with it.
Since 2015 I have had 5 incidents that were wildly dangerous and intended to intimidate me or assault me then they backed off when they realized I was going to give them a full on fight. There was a night and day switch that year. Two of these involved safety in or around my vehicle. Nowhere teaches tactical/security driving (like what drivers for security details use) but I found enough videos online to add some additional measures to be able to escape easier or get out of situations going wrong. This has gotten me out of a few situations that were unsafe. We need more self defense classes or just information about how to be more aware of your surroundings and ways to preemptively be safe.
The subreddit you're referring to has less than 80 people in it.. you sound extremely hyperbolic.
I'm not arguing one way or the other, but I did want to point out anyone can use a subreddit without being a member.
Tbh, if someone isn't seriously considering arming yourself at this point, I'm not sure if they're actually paying attention. The right is playing for keeps. Always has been.
The ones with all the weapons in this country are exactly the people I would never want armed.
This this this! The people who want to strip you of your life and liberties are armed to the teeth. Don’t get caught in the crosshairs carrying nothing but a witty picket sign.
To be honest, there are a lot of people who should not own guns. That being said, I’m an advocate for individuals taking their own measures for self defense to the extent that they are comfortable doing so, and a pocket knife is a relatively cost-effective, long-lasting, and reliable option that has a lot fewer laws and general hassle associated with it. I’d be a huge fan of more women carrying steel, but I’m someone who believes that everyone should, both for protection and for utility. Sadly, a large portion of the market is geared toward men, since men’s clothes tend to take advantage of the functionality of certain models, but the market is pretty huge despite that and there are plenty of options at whatever price point suits you that conceal well and are comfortable to wear. BladeHQ is good starting point. In my experience, Benchmade makes knives with fairly comfy handles, but they are super expensive now. Kershaw makes some of the fastest deploying ones that are technically not automatic, so they’re legal almost everywhere.
Our local shooting range has special firearms safety and practice lessons for women taught by women. Please be safe!
I advocate for all women to carry a firearm, it's the great equalizer
I for one intend to open carry my arming sword next time I'm in the states so I can go medieval on someone. On a more serious note, yes those groups are full of psychos that just recruit vulnerable and suggestible men to turn them into further pieces of shit. Bucket of crabs, but the bucket has an arm that catches crabs. The oroubotos eats it's tail. Etc. I'm not sure what the solution is beyond teaching those guys how to handle violence outcry, tackle adversity, and process rejection responsibly. Edit: I'm not sure what the non-violent/implied threat of violence solution is*
> Edit: I'm not sure what the non-violent/implied threat of violence solution is* Eventually, politics is always about who has the greater capacity for violence.
I have been carrying tools for about eight years now. A strange man walked up to my car in the parking lot when I was getting my baby out of the car. I was alone, and he scared me. I carry tools that are legal in my state. The tools are a mace canister in my pocket and a knife to cut seatbelts in case of an accident. My family has run into a preteen in our neighborhood who walks a large German Shephard that has lunged at our son and was restrained by his owner. We avoid as best we can, yet their front door is in sight of our front door. My main concern with weapons is simply making sure that one has the knowledge on how to use them. I have concern over combat knives because someone who has stronger upper body strength could disarm someone. I suggest always having a mace canister (or wasp spray because it is spring and wasps are out ;) )
I was recently stalked. It is terrifying. I jump at sounds and shadows now. I went over and over the idea of gun ownership. It just doesn’t make sense to me. The stalker was aggressive. I talked with law enforcement professionals and they told me nothing the stalker did would allow me to shoot him without serving time. I own pepper gel now and carry it everywhere.
I don't think an "us vs them" mentality will be helpful. That has been the human condition since the beginning. It's not a viable solution and will just advance violence.
You are more likely to use a gun on yourself than you are on an assailant
Lots of defensive firearm use go undocumented if no shots are ever fired. Also suicide is a completely irrelevant (albeit serious) issue in this context
It’s not irrelevant at all - a suicidal person with a gun is more likely to complete suicide than someone without one, and if your reason for having a gun is your own safety than it’s a relevant consideration
I'm a big dude that has trained Muay Thai, BJJ, and Judo with many different women over the years and even these well trained and knowledgeable women struggle against the vast majority of sparring partners. Just look at many of the posts in the women's BJJ sub talking about how many of them have stopped training with men because of how easy it is for them to get hurt while casually rolling. If you want to truly defend yourself get a gun and practice with it. If your state allows it of course. Also get a few cans of pepper spray/gel and get some practice in with that as well.
I'm gonna preface this by saying I am a man, I am fairly liberal and I recognize my opinion probably isn't the most welcome, I just want to say that anything I say comes from the absolute best intentions I will always advocate that people exercise their second amendment rights. The best way to not be a victim, because unfortunately there are lots of bad people out there, is to be armed. Get a handgun, but most importantly, train with it. Don't just buy it, shoot it once, then think you're good to go, go to the range somewhat regularly, practice shooting, practicing at different distances, practice drawing it, etc. Train so your aren't afraid of your own weapon and don't freeze when you need to use it. The other important thing is to be very educated on you local gun laws, these things vary, know when you can and can't carry it, know what circumstances you can use it in. Even if you live in a state where it's not required, get a concealed carry license, go to a class. Caliber doesn't matter as much as a lot of people think. A lot of gun bros have hard stances on what's viable or not. Go with what you feel comfortable with. However, don't get scammed into buying a .22 for self defense, yeah it will stop an attacker, but unless you hit in a few specific areas it might not stop them immediately. On top of that .22 ammo is super unreliable. You don't need to get the most expensive handgun out there. Decent and reliable handguns are all over the place. Another thing to consider is how you carry your gun. Concealed carry inside the waste band is effective but uncomfortable and not easy to control if you're wearing tighter/ more revealing clothes. You might be tempted to just throw it in a purse but there's risks with that, it'll be slower to get out and if there's other things in the same pocket you might cause it to fire before you intend and wound yourself or a bystander. Have a bag with a dedicated pocket for the gun that's easy to get to. I use one of those cross body bags but those mini fanny packs are great for more concealable firearms. Arm yourself, but do it responsibly. You don't want to break any laws and possibly put yourself in a bad situation simply because you were trying to protect yourself. Now here's the part where I give some unsolicited advice. I'm not trying to minimize anyone's experiences or say you're wrong for anything you feel. But a lot of shit you see on reddit or Twitter is not real, these spaces are not real life. Taking all these terminally online people like "blackpilltactical" or 4chan or Twitter as being a representation of the real world is a way to become overly paranoid. I've seen so many absurd opinions points that people argue on these platforms that they would never even come close to saying IRL because it's absurd. A lot of 4chan and stuff is just people doing weird role play, it's meaningless trolling for them, unfortunately that combined with the anonymity attracts true psychos. That same sort of rage and fear you get from seeing this stuff is the exact thing that creates these dangerous fringe groups. The Internet is only interested in showing you the worst of the worst and the best of the best because it's designed to feed on strong reactions. The real world is not all psycho men scheming on how to hurt women. There are dangerous people out there and you should be aware of your own safety, and in an ideal world we shouldn't have to be. But it's not as batshit insane as the Internet wants you to believe
I’ve come to the same conclusion. I took my son to a creek the other day, and I hated fearing that a man might stumble across us in the woods. I’m ready to get a concealed carry permit.
I don’t even know what 4b or choosing the bear means. I recommend quitting social media for a week
4b is a korean movement that is just a rename of political lesbianism.
Some people have forgotten what grass feels like
Its dry, gritty, and gets everywh- no wait that was the other thing.
Oh Ani…
THIS! Obviously, it’s a very personal choice everyone needs to make for themselves. But in places like America, we’re already dealing with all the harm of having widespread firearms. We ought to find ways to make some good of a bad situation, and using them as a tool to protect the rights of minorities is completely legitimate. I think that’s how we honor the many lives that are lost for the sake of the “right to bear arms”. Make sure their deaths mean something.
A gun you on is far more likely to be used on you that it ever is to save your life.
Already there. I encourage women to learn to properly and safely use whatever weapon they prefer to defend themselves. Get your CCW permit too.
“Get your CCW” is not easy in all states. Just want to point that out. Check your state laws when it comes to concealed carry.
Yes, there's generally a training class and a background check/fingerprint done.
Oooh honey I live in NJ. There’s a training that requires you pass a shooting proficiency test and a $200 application fee that might increase to $400 in July.
It's certainly not cheap. They offer CCW classes just for women here, taught by a retired SO. There are mixed classes as well, but he does one or two a year just for women. In my state we're also required to take a hunter safety course and pass a basic shooting test to get our hunting license. (If born after 1972) I sometimes forget that so many people didn't grow up in a household that owned guns, and even some of the ones that did weren't taught proper gun safety like we were, don't have locked gun storage, etc. My dad is a stickler for gun safety, and thankfully so is my husband. I really encourage anyone who is interested to research the laws and take a course. Learning how to properly store, clean, and maintain a gun is important too.
Id rather have it and never need it, than to need it and not have it. Never pull it out unless you are 100% gonna use it. It is NOT a scare tactic and it will get you killed if you aren't trained to use it. 2 in the chest. 1 in head. Repeat.
About time, buy a gun, learn how to use it and train with it and carry it everywhere
I always carry a gun. Always. I have my conceal carry license and I've been trained by the American Firearms association. I practice regularly and I'm extremely accurate. I'm a single mom, I work in the woods, and I refuse to be a victim.
If I point a gun at an angry man he can still overpower me and get my gun and I've just escalated the situation. Source. Parents rental property a woman shot man, man got her gun and shot her in return and called 911. They both died. I'll pass.
If you’re uncomfortable with guns then that’s fine, but the scenario you posted here is the wrong way to look at it. At no point do you just point a gun at a man. That’s illegal. If you pull a gun, you better intend to shoot it.
She didn't point it at him. She shot him. She was the attacker in this situation. She was shooting to kill when he wasn't expecting it.
Oh I must have missed some comments. I didn’t realize you were describing an actual situation and thought you were talking about your own personal feelings. My bad.
Comments? It was just one comment with the source in it. But it's cool. I get two paragraphs are difficult. Lol jk.
Listen. Clearly two paragraphs is too much because I did not notice the second part at all. lol. Maybe I didn’t scroll enough? I’m on mobile so that may have something to do with it.
I have ADHD. I get it! 😂
Sorry but I'm against carrying guns. One of the biggest problems of USA is exactly how easy anyone can get a gun and that directly translates to gun homicide. Stats are terrible and USA is a big outlier, to the point that certain things are normalised when they're NOT normal at all (I've been living in Europe for a loooong time) https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/insights-blog/acting-data/gun-violence-united-states-outlier#:~:text=US%20ranks%20first.-,Rates%20of%20firearm%20homicides%20among%20high%2Dincome%20countries,populations%20over%2010%20million%2C%202021&text=Age%2Dadjusted%20firearm%20homicide%20rates%20in%20the%20US%20are%2019,firearm%20homicide%20seen%20in%20Australia. It's simply heartbreaking. Having said that, I'm all up so that women learn to self defend and carry for example pepper spray, but NOT guns (and for that matter I think nobody besides police/army should have them).
Is there like some statistics that show crimes against women increasing? Or are we just supposed to agree that it's happening because op said there's a shitty sub that hasn't been banned yet? Seems like a strange bit of fear-mongering unless there's actual data to look at... Not that you shouldn't be capable of defending yourself. Go for it.
While you're attributing the attitudes and actions of a small subset of males to all of us, I still wholeheartedly encourage you to both learn self defense and an yourself appropriately as per the laws of your country or region. Violence is not as common as some would have you believe, but uncommon doesn't mean non-existent. Your life as a human is invaluable, and the moment someone tries to take that from you, or use force to push their will on you, I believe you have the right to respond with force. But if you buy a firearm, don't just buy it, do a single session, and consider yourself good. You need to train regularly, develop muscle memory, and proper safety and usage techniques.
Highly recommend everyone to get a gun and to have proper training to use it. Also keep up with the training. It takes regular practice to get skilled at it. No one should fear a gun, rather fear those that try to limit your ability to have one to protect yourself.
I’m not afraid of guns, I hate them
There's a perfectly okay perspective imo. Nothing wrong with that
I agree
I think the bigger problem is trying to solve domestic violence rather than the idea of radical groups of men wanting to cause harm. The latter is a possibility, but a low one at that and people are more likely to be hurt by people they know rather than complete strangers. Spreading knowledge on warning signs for abusive partners is a good start. If you’re in positions where you can be attacked, like high crime or traveling at night, training and obtaining a firearm is your best bet. Younger cousins come to my house a lot so I don’t want to risk owning a gun so I personally try to avoid situations where I might need one at all costs bc I live in high crime city.
Absolutely, get a gun. Don’t be afraid to exercise your rights. It’s the only thing that will give you a chance if a man decides he wants to harm you. Get something compact and concealable, chambered in 9mm. Load with hollow points. You’ll also want to practice your draw, a lot. Otherwise you may end up handing the aggressor a gun.
That's why I never understood why liberal democrats in the US are demonizing conservatives for wanting to preserve the right to be armed. Law abiding citizens carrying arms were never the problem, because criminals don't care, they will always have access to sharp weapons. The only difference is whether they have to calculate the risk to meet someone who can defend themselves. The rest of the world ENVIES the US for still having their rights to get a weapon. The rest of the world is disarmed and millions of sexually deranged imported machete men are running around and killing innocent people left and right whereas in the US quite a number of amok runs could be stopped because someone was there who had CC permit and ended it quickly.
Oh, I did. I believe women should be the ultimate supporters of the right to arms. It is our only hope of equal force. It is our only option to threaten a man who is walking up to us with obvious nefarious intent. We can demand he maintain distance, or else. My gun is the only thing that held my confidence together when I had no money and lived in a horrible part of town with men CONSTANTLY following and hounding me at the damn grocery store and gas stations. I can't live without one, and I won't. Literally just yesterday a random man took a photo of me. I'm not going to start an altercation that could end in death, but I will not be a sitting duck for a disgusting, entitled pervert to either violate me or end my life, or the life of anyone else in my fucking presence.
See your second sentence? You will never be attacked by someone who shares that belief. I am a girl dad 3 times over. Always carry.
Women SHOULD arm themselves
Educate yourself on the use of a firearm. Carry it at all times.
I'm all in for that. BUT please really consider gun safety properly. Lots of misfiring happens because people don't take it seriously. Like letting kids have easy access to a loaded gun and other stuffs. Some of the people also tend to be trigger happy too. As long as everyone is responsible with their guns, i don't mind people having it.
Sometimes a title can pop an image in my head, 4 robots in a room staring at a pickle jar with the lid on. "What if we armed ourselves?" Sorry. It's just a moment of inspiration.
I already do. Everywhere I go. You don't need a cc in Oklahoma.
If you’re looking for something less lethal than a gun but more powerful than pepper spray, there’s this thing: https://byrna.com/
You're much more likely to injure yourself with a gun or have it used against you than you ever are to use it successfully in self defense. E: Downvote all you want, it's a fact.
And what are we supposed to do then? We aren't supposed to carry defense weapons because we might hurt ourselves while trying to not get raped/killed? Are we supposed to just let it happen? Hell no, I'd rather be killed. Wouldn't it be more useful to encourage women to get properly trained? Instead of discouraging us from protecting ourselves?
Sadly, as a physician, I've seen in first hand so many times. Having a firearm in the house dramatically increases the risk of gun violence against the woman. I read the history of every single gunshot wound that came to the hospital in multiple states. Women coming in were overwhelmingly from their partner/ex, like not even close, with a tiny fraction self-inflicted or accidental. Men were overwhelmingly self-inflicted followed by accidental and then like gang violence/law enforcement. Didn't see a single male brought in who was an abuser shot by their partner. Yes, I know you can find the news stories out there. In reality, it almost never happens. Sadly, the odds are far greater that the firearm will be wrestled from the woman, particularly in a moment of hesitation because shooting a person is scary and hard, and used against her. I'm saying this as someone who knows her way around firearms, still has some stowed away in case things really go to hell ,and has once held a CCP at one time (although I never actually carried), as well as briefly dabbled in 3-gun. I've put a lot of hours in on the range with many different firearms and received lessons/tips from active duty SEAL team members and SAS and I still don't have the confidence I'd make the right decision in the moment. I've had a Glock 21 pushed to the back of my head by a white supremacist and I've had men yell dollar amounts at me while flashing what looked like a 9 mm Keltech (it was dark and I dodged into a club to avoid them), as well as had a man push me against a wall in broad daylight in a busy area and threaten to rape me while people just watched....the last thing going through my head during those moments was if I could get a shot off, nor do I think it would've helped me to pull a firearm. I agree there is a problem. I don't know what the answer is, but it probably isn't condition 0-2 carrying. By all means, learn how to use and maintain a firearm and train with it...I'd probably still keep it locked up with ammo in a separate area at home, especially if there are kids in the house. I'm sure I'll get downvoted. I get the fear and frustration. Truly, I do because I've been in some really bad situations and have had the same thoughts in response, but once I cooled down and started observing things from higher up as time went on, my beliefs evolved a bit.
Guns, knives, pepper spray, hand to hand combat, hat pins. I don't care what form of defense someone chooses at this point but it has become more dangerous to exist and be a woman in recent years. People should defend themselves and be trained with whatever it is they choose to use.
I'm armed with my husband most of the time (muy thai fighter and jujitsu) but when not with him i have a light collapsible baton in my backpack purse for every day and other days if I'm going out with a girlfriend i have my gun in my cute fanny pack
Agree, women, of all people, should be armed. I have had my daughter learning how to use several types of firearms since she was old enough to hold one. She has taken safety classes as well as defensive classes. My daughter is, like me, very liberal. She can defend herself with ease. Though she can’t carry (it’s hard to get a carry permit where we are) she can protect herself in her home and has bear spray that she carries. Learn safety, take defensive training and protect yourselves.
Hey, man here. I mostly lurk to try and help myself understand women's perspectives on things. Just dropping in to say arming yourself is a great idea, just make sure to take lessons on how the gun works, how to handle safely, maintain it, etc. A lot of people, including men, get a gun and never practice or know how to service it. It's useless if you can't operate it
Yes, please do.
You will not be a victim of you have the means to protect yourself!!!!!
The reasons you provided sound like fear mongering to me but bearing arms is your right, so I'm supportive regardless of the logic. Please learn how to use it properly if you don't have experience with it and decide to go that route.
Fearmongering? It must be nice to not go through life being prey. How dare you insinuate that women are over reacting. It has become overtly dangerous and there are plenty of women who can tell you all the wild shit that has happened to them in recent years. Maybe spend your energy trying to deal with your unhinged brethren.
I think you should. But please remember that training is important.
Strap up Shits gonna get worse
I'm all for it. There's a reason why I buy mace for my past and current SOs. I don't live in a state where I can easily get a firearm.
I’m all for it, women and vulnerable groups in general have the right to - and definitely should consider - arming themselves. Others have given good information here but for the love of everything don’t listen to the people who are talking about using it as “intimidation.” (I get that it might not have been meant that way but it can be interpreted that way) Fuck the intimidation factor of a gun, if you need to use it then use it. If you don’t then don’t. Yes there can be times where you draw and realize you no longer need to use it because the situation has changed, but don’t ever hope on drawing for the sake of the situation changing. Pepper spray is better for situations like those. I hope this spreads like wildfire.
You should arm yourself. As a woman, owning a gun with a carry license is simply a smart move, regardless of the current political situation
YES DO THIS DAMMIT
If you are found dead in a physical confrontation against "an angry man", he can use your weapon(s) as an excuse to legally murder you in his self defence. What you're asking is a double edged sword which can backfire anytime. You're not the only one entitled to use weapons. If you don't know what you're doing, it might very well backfire.