I’m pretty sure you’re aware of the countless infomercials (often airing between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m.) in which people struggle ineptly with even the most simple, ordinary and mundane tasks. You know the ones I’m referring to. No one on the planet can open a pickle jar, put on socks, place groceries in the trunk, use a garden hose properly, serve a beverage, drink a beverage or figure out how to use a towel … or a blanket. Those crazy, over-exaggerated scenarios (with really bad acting) make us cringe, laugh and shake our heads in despair. And you just kind of have to wonder: Where in the world do they find these people who can’t do normal, everyday stuff? (Or, better yet, do the script writers really believe that they have to make these people look and act so dumb to sell the useless, unnecessary products?)
I mention these insane infomercials because that’s the kind of example that came to mind when I read a tweet from Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts about female gun owners. Commenting on an image showing a woman wearing athletic shorts with a holstered firearm, Watts wrote: “What’s the statistical probability that you’ll shoot yourself in the vagina instead of shooting a bad guy while wearing Tomi Lahren’s so-called athleisure wear?” (By the way, it seems that this tweet has recently been deleted. I’ve seen screen shots of the original as well as many other Twitter replies, retweets and mentions, so we might just have to assume it did exist at one time.)
The Background
Just as background, the clothing in question is from my friend Amy Robbins’ brand Alexo Athletica. Amy was inspired to create the company because she wanted to be able to run and train without fearing for her safety. And Tomi Lahren, a 2A supporter and former television host, received a lot of flak from the Twitterverse last year when she tweeted a photo of herself wearing the concealed carry athletic gear, designed with a special pocket that can be used to carry a handgun.
Of course, the really bothersome part is not just targeting Tomi or making fun of carrywear … it’s the fact that apparently female gun owners (especially those who carry a firearm daily for self-defense) are being portrayed as unsafe and unskilled imbeciles, much like the infomercial players who try to slice bread with a block of wood or who need oversized bibs to drink coffee. Shannon Watts claims she advocates for moms and women and wants them to be confident, safe and empowered. Yet she questions if women who choose to be confident, safe and empowered will just shoot themselves somewhere in their reproductive systems. Apparently women with guns are incapable, inept and stupid.
The Truth
Well, Ms. Watts, I have to say that the vast majority of women I have talked to, collaborated with, trained and trained with take guns, gun safety and gun ownership VERY seriously. In fact, most women get into the world of firearms in the first place because they want to feel safe. They want to be safe. They want to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. And even the newest shooter, who has never touched a gun before, strives for the utmost in safety. She trains. She practices. She researches. She studies. She asks questions. She wants the best for herself and for her family.
A woman who chooses to carry a firearm is not someone to be mocked and scorned. She is someone to be respected and applauded. What’s the statistical probability that you’ll come to terms with that instead of bad-mouthing and blaming the very people you claim to support?
About Beth Alcazar
Author of Women’s Handgun & Self-Defense Fundamentals, associate editor of Concealed Carry Magazine and creator of the Pacifiers & Peacemakers column, Beth Alcazar has enjoyed nearly two decades of teaching and working in the firearms industry. She holds degrees in language arts, education and communication management and uses her experience and enthusiasm to share safe and responsible firearms ownership and usage with others. Beth is certified through the NRA as a Training Counselor, Chief Range Safety Officer and Certified Instructor for multiple disciplines. She is also a Certified Instructor through SIG Sauer Academy, ALICE Institute, DRAW School, TWAW and I.C.E. Training and is a USCCA Certified Instructor and Senior Training Counselor.
