Female Gun Ownership on the Rise. Or not.

Back when bottoms had bells, I worked for CNN. I remember standing behind Camera 3, waiting to pan right two inches (a job destined for automation), hearing the apoplectic News Editor (destined for cremation) shouting “Is it a trend? GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL! IS IT A TREND?” To which the only possible answer was “yes.” Even when it was no. The Washington Times adheres to this trending-at-all-costs editorial philosophy with More Women May be Turning to Firearms. MAY? GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL! IS IT A TREND? “A 2009 study found 70 percent of shop owners reported more female buyers. The study, conducted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation [ED: “Always shooting for more”] and Southwick Associates [ED: “Farm & Wildlife Economics and Statistics”], also found 80 percent of the female gun-buyers who responded said they purchased a gun for self-defense, followed by 35 percent for target practice and 24 percent for hunting.” Just in case you’re one of those “I’m from Missouri” people, “Women and shop owners interviewed by The Washington Times offered similar, narrow-ranging explanations for the increases — largely self-defense and concerns about the possibility President Obama would further restrict gun ownership.” When in doubt, anecdote . . .

“I was very anti-gun for a long time … and I guess my thinking evolved on that,” said Ms. Gonzalez, who owns a Glock 9mm and started a shooting club to practice and share similar interests. “I was probably motivated to buy the gun because I separated from my husband and was living alone.”

PROBABLY? GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL! IS IT A TREND! Uh, no.

Despite such observations, a recent National Opinion Research Center study shows the demographics of U.S. gun ownership have changed little during the past 29 years. Women owned roughly 10.5 percent of this country’s guns in 1980, compared to 10.8 percent of the more than 200 million guns in the U.S. in 2008.

Sigh.