Tori Matkin
Mrs. Straub
Economics - B3
10 September 2014
Grab Your Guns, Ladies!
I personally have shot my dad’s 45 gauge handgun and have shot clays with a shotgun at the Milford Hills Hunt Club. Whenever I walk into the Milford Hills gun shop, I always see the little pink purse guns for girls. But women haven’t always been interested in guns. Back in the day, it was the stereotypical American white male who owned the guns because of the fact that it was thought of as a man’s sport and a “defense of the home” as a man’s responsibility. But the game has changed, and women are becoming more interested in gun ownership.
“Recent research by National Sporting Goods Association shows that number of women gun owners in the United States has jumped from 13 percent in 2003 to 23 percent [in 2011]” (Sukow). This increase in number is most likely due to women wanting a weapon to be able to defend themselves. And, of course, a gun is an optimal choice. Kirsten C. Tynan, who describes herself as a “pro-self defense feminist,” added in an email: Whether I am in a high crime area, car camping alone on a road trip, or hiking solo in bear country, carrying a firearm gives me another tool to ensure my own safety without having to depend on someone else. It opens up more opportunities for me because I don’t feel I have to have a partner by my side for my protection (Ritz). Protection is a self-interest for women. The women that enjoy the feeling they get knowing that they don’t need anyone there because they’re packing, gives them a sense of courage and they gain confidence.
But why now? It obviously makes sense that due to the increased number of independent women, that they are more interested in owning a gun, but the number of female shooters has significantly increased. And with that, more firearms are being produced.
All told, the firearms industry contributes more than $33 billion to the U.S. economy and supports about 220,000 jobs, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (Hall). The economy has grown with innovation trying to focus on the new female demographic: “gun manufacturers are trying to find the angle in their product line that will turn a predominantly male-focused industry toward females with options so far including smaller sizes, color options, and elements that reduce user fatigue” (Ritz). Gun manufacturers are thinking at the margin on this one, and it was the right move.
The economic value created by the firearms industry also is increasing steadily, from $19.2 billion in 2008 to $27.6 billion in 2010 and reaching a record $33 billion last year, according to NSSF calculations based on wages and salaries (Hall). All of this meaning that more firearms are being produced - especially in the United States. The 25-year survey estimated that 2,228 U.S. companies produced more than 106 million firearms from 1986-2010 (Hall).
So even though gun ownership will most likely always be a debate, it has become a significant benefit towards society: jobs have been created, the economy has grown with innovation, ...and self confidence in women is always a plus.
Works Cited
Hall, Glen. The ATF. The Blaze. Web. 10 Sept. 2014.
Hall, Glen. “The Gun Industry Employs Twice as Many Americans as GM.” The Blaze. Tactical Firearms Training Secrets, 26 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/26/nr-draft-how-important-are-guns-to-the-u-s-economy-for-starters-the-firearms-industry-employs-twice-as-many-americans-as-bailed-out-gm/>
Ritz, Erica. "Women and Guns: Why Female Gun Ownership Is Rising and Why Many Are Taking Notice." The Blaze. Tactical Firearms Training Secrets, 9 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Sept. 2014. <http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/09/more-and-more-women-are-buying-guns-heres-why/>.
Sukow, Jill. “Ladies...Grab Your Guns!” Milford Hills Sept. 2014: n. pag. Print.
“Women Defying Gun Owner Stereotype.” Guns in America. NBCUniversal. MSNBC, New York City. 16 Feb. 2013. Web.
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