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When I started advocating for concealed carry on campus, I was not a gun enthusiast or a member of any Second Amendment organizations. I had only recently been taught to shoot by a concerned local firearms instructor who had heard about a scare I had with a cyberstalker.

But from the minute I put my hands around a Ruger LC9 pistol, the gun I regularly carry with me now, I felt more in control. I felt empowered to be holding a tool that could protect me physically, and I was determined to learn how to use it responsibly. It was a relief to know that I could shoot if I had to, even though I would never use my gun unless it was a last means of self-defense. I got my concealed carry license a year ago.

In addition to Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin all now allow students with concealed carry permits to carry guns inside the buildings of college campuses. I have learned that there are a lot of misconceptions about these bills. In Texas, only concealed handgun license holders who are 21 years old or older can carry firearms on campus. The rule applies only to public schools, and those schools can also set aside gun-free zones in whatever locations they choose. Anyone who brings a gun on campus must be trained by an instructor certified by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Still, I regularly encounter liberals who fear irresponsible gun use and think that college kids (even if they are 21) cant be trusted with firearms. I understand that fear is a powerful motivator on both sides of this issue. But I fiercely resent being told that I cant protect myself according to my rights as an American.

The Justice Department estimates that one in five women are assaulted during college. This number does not surprise me, although plenty of my fellow conservatives take issue with it. I have met so many women through my gun advocacy who felt helpless in the face of sexual assault before they carried a weapon they felt that no one would listen to them, that they didnt have any options. It is a huge failing of the conservative movement not to take this seriously. Even if the one out of five statistic is imprecise, isnt one assaulted woman bad enough?

Female gun ownership isnt a matter of political affiliation. Ive met women across the political spectrum who own guns for self-defense or for shooting recreationally. In particular, black women have become a lot more interested in gun ownership and shooting classes.

The rights and values of gun-owning women arent being addressed by either political party. While conservatives arent paying enough attention to sexual assault, liberals are actively hurting womens access to self-defense. Many liberals including many female professors my organization approached as potential sponsors for Empowered dont support a womans right to choose when it comes to her own self-defense. They cant get behind a vision of female empowerment that doesnt match their own.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a place for young, pro-Second Amendment women in modern feminism. And there is a place for them on college campuses.

Originally posted here:
Why I Bring My Gun to School - New York Times