Why Women Should Conceal Carry

Dec 24, 2019 10:28:15 AM

Concealed carry for women is a rapidly growing industry. Today, women concealed carriers are the largest growing demographic in the gun industry. Why is this? Why are an increasing number of women choosing to become ambassadors of the second amendment?

The cultural expectations of gender roles are changing. Women aren’t only demanding equality in the home and the workplace—but also in self defense situations. Firearms equip women with an equalizer; women are frequently targeted for assault, and they’re taking action to become self-reliant, so the possibility of being a helpless victim can be eradicated.

Still, many women are afraid to conceal carry a firearm. Not only are they concerned about how other people might perceive them, but they’re also concerned about the safety of concealed carry. As an additional barrier, they’re confused about how to realistically conceal carry without sacrificing style or comfort.

However, according to The Firearms Industry Trade Association, the number of unintentional firearm fatalities is down 85% since 1930. Additionally, crime with firearms has decreased by 79% since 1993.

So why get a concealed carry permit? It’s simple: today, it’s far safer, and more important for women have quick access to a tool they need and not need it, then find themselves defenseless.

Between 2012 and 2018 concealed carry permits for women grew 111% faster than for men. There has been a 17% increase in women target shooters since 2007. Empowerment is on the rise, and the number one reason that women own guns is for self/home defense. The great news is, you no longer have to sacrifice comfort, or style to protect yourself.

More options for fashionable concealed carry are on the market today than ever before. Far more compact and subcompact guns are available than ever before.

If you’re considering carrying a concealed weapon, take a look at the top four reasons why women should get a permit to carry.

At some point, every woman has encountered a situation in which they’ve felt uneasy, unsafe, or nervous about being in a specific location or around a specific person. In those situations, women begin to panic if they don’t have a self defense plan in place.

Concealing a gun isn’t about inviting risk into a scenario; it’s about potentially saving your own life, or someone else's.

Carrying a concealed handgun equips women with the confidence to confront any danger that might strike, at any time. Consequently, they feel free to engage in night time activities, travel on their own, or even be home alone.

If you have kids, you know they depend on you to keep them safe at all times. If you’re ever at home alone with your kids, or at the park, it’s important to plan for a potential attacker. What would you do if a bad guy tried to take your kids away? What would you do if someone broke in?

Unfortunately, women are nervous to keep guns at home, because they don’t want their kids to access their gun, and consequently they put both themselves and their kids at risk. Yes, it’s necessary that your gun is secured inside a locked safe if you keep it at home, but it should be there just in case. For more detailed tips, check out our blog on how to safely store a firearm.

When you’re carrying a gun, especially if you’re using a concealed carry purse, you have to be intentional about practicing situational awareness. Gun owners have a responsibility to ensure that their gun remains in a secure location at all times. As a carrier, you’ll feel more aware of your body and your gun, and consequently you’ll feel perceptive and thoughtful about how you act and what you say around other people.

When your family and friends know that you’re equipped to protect yourself at all times, they’ll feel more comfortable in certain situations. For example: if your husband is going out of town, he’ll know that you’re prepared. Or if you’re planning on traveling out of the country, and you’ll be alone in unknown territory, your family might be more supportive if they know you know how to protect yourself.

Let’s face it - it’s easier for men to conceal carry than for women, because their clothing is often thicker, and looser. This can be a problem for women, because they want to protect themselves, but they don’t want to buy clothes two sizes too big to be able to do it.

When you’re shopping for clothes, here are four tips to consider:

• Patterns distract from the holster and the gun
• Darker clothing tends to conceal your firearm the best
• Layers are your best friend
• Consider your ability to easily access the firearm while choosing an outfit

If clothing is heavily patterned, even if you’re “printing” it’ll be very hard to tell. Dark clothing also hides your gun and holster very well. Conversely, white or very light colors won’t do a good job of concealing your firearm.

Layers are a great way to get away with wearing tight jeans and a tight undershirt while still being able to conceal carry. Want to wear yoga pants and a spandex tank top? No problem, if you’re wearing a corset, inside the waistband (IWB) or belly band holster, just throw a cardigan over your outfit and you’ll be good to go. Please keep in mind however that the cardigan’s ability to hide your gun will depend on the size of the gun.

Also, if you have a gun belt that is too big, it will affect your ability to conceal carry effectively. Make sure that your belt is slim and strong enough to hold the weight of your gun.

In the end, always have a plan for self defense, and keep dressing to protect!