FEMINISM FIREARMS

Not as Contradictory as You May Think

- Ashley Hlebinsky

Today, it often seems, both within and outside the boundaries of “gun culture,” that firearms ownership is intrinsically a one-party issue. And with most Democrat politicians’ stances on gun control today, it’s an easy conclusion to be drawn. But what if I told you that wasn’t always the case? Furthermore, most of gun history didn’t toe a party line and that even feminists armed up to “Refuse to Be a Victim” two decades before the NRA launched their program?

Now, it’s not fair to say that gun owner today only check one box. There are countless modern groups such as the Liberal Gun Club, Pink Pistols, Black Guns Matter, Socialist Gun Club, Armed Equality, and the Well Armed Woman that show ownership is far more diverse than what meets the mainstream’s eye. However, while some gun owners are taking note of this contemporary increase, many people may not know that gun ownership — regardless of politics, race, and gender identity — has an equally long history as firearms themselves.

There are countless stories to tell in this regard and hopefully, this will be the beginning of several articles on “unexpected gun owners of history.” The dialogue about gun ownership is one that would probably surprise nongun and gun owners alike. But for the purposes of this article, let’s start with a group that today may seem like the most unlikely gun advocates — from both inside and outside their movement — feminists.