Comments on: ChipChick Asks: Are Women with Guns Fantasy Figures or Empowered?

By: British citizen thinks shooting guns is empowering for women

British citizen thinks shooting guns is empowering for women — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:08:57 +0000

[...] week we posted this article found over at ChipChick.com. Looks like our friends at NRA Radio saw the same piece and located the [...]

By: Paula

Paula — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:28:32 +0000

Reality is that most women are smaller and less muscular than the average man. I am a gun owner and carry continuously because of this. One of the many roles of women is to protect their family and a firearm allows this to be possible for many. Even if it is becoming more acceptable for a women to carry because men think it’s “hot” who cares, at least it is becoming socially acceptable and therefore more prevalent. As long as all gun owners take the responsibility seriously and get the proper training then it doesn’t matter to me how we are getting it done. I do worry about the portrayal of guns though. In a culture where young kids see video games where people get back up after being shot, I can see it hard for some to take it seriously. As a gun owner (and a EMT) I had to ask myself if I could live with the consequences of killing another. What I find most interesting is that more women think about this then men. If a woman carries she usually takes it seriously. The average woman prays that she never has to use her weapon but is willing to do the training so she knows how. I worry about men more. From my experience there seems to be is a much higher percentage of men that are willing to carry without training then there are women.

By: Jeannie

Jeannie — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:19:04 +0000

I agree with Amy. It definitely is in the expression. The world-lauded beauty Angelina Jolie was truly a knife-toting tough-chick in real life when Tomb Raider was filmed, but they still stuffed her bra. Speaking for myself, and perhaps over-reaching by speaking for the fellow-female-firearms enthusiasts with whom I associate, I feel empowered. I look at it as exercising my right to bear arms and if I have a good time while learning how to do so safely and effectively, even better. Very few of us are in competitive shooting or hunting. We’re inner-city ladies with range memberships, modest handguns we know how to use, and a thorough knowledge of gun safety and gun laws, God-forbid we ever have to use a weapon defensively. Doesn’t mean we don’t get cat-calls buying ammo, sometimes treated poorly by an insensitive (ignorant) store clerk, or the usual “hot-chick” remarks from the men in our lives (and who doesn’t like a well-paid compliment?). I have a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Arizona State University. Really want to be an empowered femme-fatale? Don’t give a sh*t and don’t take any sh*t, from anyone. That will have a bigger impact than your caliber against anyone trying to reduce you down to your body carrying a shiny toy.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:54:44 +0000

Not all girl with guns movies are created equal, but you do notice some trends– a lot of them get the gun things wrong (as they do in many action movies). And the woman running around with the gun usually is a certain age and appearance and may be wearing skimpy clothing that would make a perfect trap for all of that hot brass that should be spilling out of her firearm. I think the film Miss Representation did a good job of explaining how this trope is used to exploit women. Go back and look at some of these films with the “male gaze” in mind. It’s not just some term thrown about by gender studies academics– it matters and its interesting to see who makes these movies and who they are primarily marketed to.