In my 30-plus years of firearms training, I have seen a shift in trends in the gun world. Two big changes occurred around 2020. First, it became apparent why people choose to own firearms. Prior to 2020, guns were purchased or owned for various reasons including collecting, target shooting and exercising a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Post 2020, personal protection and self-defense were the overwhelming driving forces behind firearm purchases.'
The second major shift in trends was the number of women who became first-time gun owners. In my experience, the number of women previously seeking firearms training was low; many of the women I saw in my training classes were there only to accompany their husbands. Then I started noticing that women were coming to class with a female friend or two. Today, many women who attend my classes are seeking training opportunities on their own. This progression shows that women are getting more comfortable with the thought of firearms and more confident in their own firearms training. Today, it is not uncommon to have a class with most, or all, students being women.
The main reason we have seen a rise in women gun ownership has a female, not male, component. There is a noticeable correlation between the number of female instructors and the increase in the number of women who are getting involved with shooting opportunities and gun ownership.
This is why we need more women firearms instructors. Women can reach other ladies or other segments of the population that men cannot. Women instructors can reach ladies who may be gun shy, reach the forgotten women, and women who want to learn real-life applications to owning and carrying a gun.
Instructors For the Gun Shy
It is a fact that firearms can be a bit intimidating for some new shooters, especially women. This is because of the perceived muzzle blast, recoil and just the idea of shooting altogether. A lot of this can be blamed on Hollywood, the media and internet influencers. After all, if guns are not portrayed as big, bad and scary, there would not be as many ticket sales, clicks, likes or views.
Firearms have always been seen as a macho tool. We grew up watching Clint Eastwood, John Wayne and James Arness saving the damsel in distress with their trusty six-shooters. More recently, many shooters strive to be like Keanu Reeves and his on-screen tactical shooting skills. Thanks to Hollywood, the Silver Screen portrayal of firearms also created an unrealistic image of how powerful guns are in the hands of our heroes, and what they do to the “bad guy.” A good firearms instructor can dispel these false images and beliefs surrounding guns.
This is one reason that we need more female instructors. They understand where other women are coming from. From my experience in our classes, and the stories that have been shared, women who are hesitant about shooting have trust issues when a male instructor tries to assure them, “It doesn’t kick that hard,” or “It’s not that bad” in reference to a firearm. When it comes to shooting, hesitant women are more likely to trust female instructors.
Women naturally gravitate to other women, especially when it comes to firearms training. As a result, we are seeing an increase in female shooting clubs, leagues and organizations. NRA’s Women on Target (WOT) instructional shooting clinics teach firearm safety and marksmanship fundamentals, giving new women shooters the confidence they need to operate a firearm. Founded in 1999, Women on Target has seen many thousands of women go through events throughout the country. Other organizations like A Girl and a Gun are very popular with new women gun owners and shooters because they were created by women, for women, and run by women who also happen to be female firearms instructors.
Instructors For the Forgotten Woman
In today’s world, many women are overlooked as new gun owners or shooters. To the outside observer, it looks like the opposite is true. This is because for many years there was a push to get more women into shooting. Unfortunately, this push was and is not always inclusive, focusing largely on extroverted women with a Type A personality. But what about Types B, C and D personalities?
Most female instructors fall in the Type A personalities. The good thing is that it is the female Type A personality firearms instructor that can reach the B, C and D ladies. This is the reason that we are seeing an increase in women who are first time gun owners. It is not a result of large corporations and their marketing team, rather the increase in female instructors.
Reaching the forgotten women is a big reason why we need more female instructors, as they are the foot soldiers in reaching this category of women. Female instructors know where to find these shy and often hesitant individuals, know how to talk to them, and how to get them to the range.
Instructors For Real Life
There is a big difference between real-life training and internet videos, which seldom properly reflect the NRA’s Five Fundamentals of Shooting. Instead, influencers attempt to do things for views, likes and follows. Videos demonstrating extreme behavior often seen online can be very intimidating for new women gun owners and shooters.
Real-life applications of gun ownership and carrying do not always have to include Rambo-style tactical training. When I get video-game-trained graduates in class, I must “de-video” them and change the way they approach the shooting fundamentals by introducing them to the proper way to shoot using the correct NRA teaching and training methods.
Female firearms instructors can fill many voids in the shooting world. First, they can identify women who were turned off by male fantasy firearms instructors and convince them to not give up and try again. This can stop a lady from giving up on shooting and add another person to the Pro-2A ranks. By keeping them in the shooting world, you are adding another voice in protecting the Right to Bear Arms.
Another reason we need more female firearms instructors is to show other women there is a place for those who do not want to gear up to save the world. Women tend to be more realistic when it comes to carrying extra magazines, accessories and following the latest trends.
Most female instructors teach to the “ordinary” man and woman, which is where most new shooters are. Because of this style, many male new gun owners also find female instructors less intimidating. Female instructors tend to teach real-life techniques to everyday people wanting to learn how to protect themselves and their family, not in a fantasy world, taking on the bad guys with a Hollywood flair.
There is a place for male and female firearms instructors because there are many new gun owners with different needs and desires. The best thing about being a female firearms instructor in today’s world is the respect and acceptance from other trainers and students that is commonplace today compared to just a few years ago. All that matters is that you are a good instructor.
It takes different instructors with different styles to reach all the constituents in the community. After all, these constituents are also voters and are hopefully current or soon-to-be NRA Members.
