Guns: The Latest Women’s Accessory?Wednesday, March 16th, 2011More and more women are purchasing firearms for hunting and personal defense, according to the National Rifle Association and other groups, and the numbers are increasing faster than you’d think. There has been a 28.5 percent increase in firearms bought for hunting, and the number of women buying guns for personal defense has increased by an incredible 83 percent. In addition to buying firearms, more and more women are purchasing accessories made specifically for them and going out with other female hunters.
At the NRA’s shooting clinics for women (called Women on Target) attendance has increased by 20 percent. In 2009, gun store owners in the U.S. reported a 73 percent increase in female customers. “Many of them find themselves alone for the first time in their lives. Some are widows, some are single mothers, some are just looking for a way to protect themselves, and this is why they’ve come to the program to learn to shoot,” Diane Danielson, coordinator of the shooting clinics, said.
As you can imagine, all this attention on women’s increasing interest in firearms has resulted in some pretty interesting product marketing. Kirstie Pike, founder of women’s hunting clothing company Prois, has had serious profit growth every year since she opened four years ago. Just this year, she enjoyed a 600 percent increase in sales from the same time last year. Among the more standard fare, you can find pink ammo rifles, pink shotguns and even purses specifically designed for women with conceal-carry permits. Other stores carry pink pistol cases and bedazzled camouflaged hats. Still more girly weapon accoutrement includes scopes decked out in Swarovski crystals.
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Perhaps the fact that a traditionally masculine industry is even thinking about marketing to women (however superficial or misguided the marketing may be) is a step in the right direction. Judy Rhodes, founder of DIVA…WOW, a shooting and hunting group for women, says her Texas-based group is the largest women’s-only outdoors organization in the world and that it empowers women by teaching them hunting and shooting skills. “For every one woman we introduce to the outdoors, she brings seven. And men will just stick with the same hunting partner for 70 years,” she said. “Women, we love the camaraderie, we love to cheer each other on. We love the success.”
http://www.thedailyfemme.com/femme/2011/03/guns-the-latest-womens-accessory/