Sexism in the firearms industry

[MetroFallout]

So I just want to start up a small little discussion about the tendency for skimpily-dressed women to be featured prominently in the firearms industry.

I will preface my problem with this: my problem isn't with women being in the industry, in fact I would definitely welcome them in. My beef is with the Instagram gun bunny side of things and the crass sexualization/fetishization of firearms when coupled with the gun bunnies. I should stress again that I have no beef with female shooters existing and thriving alongside male shooters, just in case it wasn't clear already. My problem is with the normalization in the industry of promoting women wearing sexually provocative clothing that isn't protective against a major safety issue that shooters often face, hot brass.

Hot brass is a safety issue because it will cause a shooter to flinch in such a way that potentially causes an accidental discharge. While the instinctual flinching to avoid the brass is a thing that can be ironed out with training, it still presents a safety hazard to both the shooter and their surroundings. The most obvious way of mitigating this hazard completely is by covering up exposed skin with protective clothing like long-sleeved tops, proper trousers and gloves.

Another safety issue that such clothing would protect against (somewhat) would be projectile fragmentation after impact with a steel target. While it probably won't help against ricochets, the covering of skin with fabric stands a good chance of defeating metal fragments of projectiles when they fracture upon impact.

If it’s honestly a personal choice for them to be dressed that way, all the more power to them even though I’d prefer them to be more professional in their choice of clothing. I’m more of the opinion that you don’t hate the player, you hate the game.

Unprofessional choices of clothing aside, another issue I have is the way they handle firearms for photo ops. Male models/shooters in photo ops are generally portrayed in a much more tasteful way and they generally look quite a bit more competent than female models/shooters who are more about flaunting their bodies in the face of firearms safety than any semblance of competence. Again, it’s more a case of not hating the player and hating the game but I just wish female models/shooters get more branded photo ops that are more professional like official photo ops for competitions. I get that sex sells but maybe sell safe sex instead by making sure they’re handling the guns in question properly if they're going to appear at all.

[Oniya]

I'd be very happy seeing a separation between 'gun/firearms' and 'sexy' myself.  Although I'm certain that someone has done it, I see 'gun bunnies' as the equivalent of using someone in cut-off jean-shorts and a flannel tie-top to sell a chain saw.

[Skynet]

Not to threadjack, but I touched upon in another thread about how the US firearms industry is in bed with far-right political groups who by happenstance have some rather outdated notions of gender norms. Although there are many conservatives who are against sexualization in general, there's a contingent who are okay with the idea of women in firearms remaining as Monroe-esque eye candy, or try to show themselves as standing against "leftist anti-sex prudes" in the broader culture wars.

Regarding the more general argument of gun safety and improper display in photo ops, that also ties into the above groups not really being about safety or proper instruction, but more about fear and that id-like lizard brain that makes you prioritize feelings over facts. Or in this case lust over logic. The NRA passed legislation explicitly making it more difficult for law enforcement to use computers and modern technology to better prosecute criminals who used a firearm when carrying out a crime, so I wouldn't put it past them to care about safety insofar as it can help them avoid a lawsuit at the bare minimum.

[Sara Nilsson]

With regard to lowcut tops etc at the range I visit (or visited before covid) those things where a no no, the range safety officer would ask you to cover up.

Honestly I am really tired of the gun bunnies, I know ,sex sells and all that. But come on it is 2020 (current year argument) and there are plenty of female gun owners. Sure it is still overwhelmingly male but we do exist and I know I am not the only one not too fond of the girls in bikini that doesn't know shit about gun safety posters.

[MetroFallout]

Plus there's also the fact that full coverage clothes can look sexy too. Hell, you put on a tight long-sleeved sports top that accentuates your curves and you'd pretty much achieve similar results for titillation.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

I am not sure if this post is critiquing the culture for the objectification of women or blaming the women for being in the photographs.  Certainly, if the former then I would point attention toward the vast world that does the same in a variety of venues.  There are pictures of women wearing bikinis with hard hats at a construction site, women doing martial arts in skimpy outfits and racing cars with breasts nearly bouncing out of their tops.  So, this really isn’t anything new. 

If pointing at the women then I would say that no one is talking about the women that are not dressed that way.  That would indeed be the point of their outfits.  Sex and beauty sell.  A woman involved in that industry must catch the eye, must sell not only whatever they are doing but themselves as well to be successful.  If that means showing skin, sacrificing a tactical look for something sexier or simply looking inept than that is what they will do.  Easy for us to shame them when if a photo doesn’t sell their career pays the price.

[Oniya]

My take is that equating 'gun' (or chainsaw, or any other thing - particularly dangerous things) with 'sexy' gets people involved with it for the wrong reasons.  Showing the thing off in a dangerous way only adds to the chances that someone who has bought the thing 'because chicks dig it' will use the thing in a dangerous way.

If there has to be a choice between 'sexy and dangerous' or 'sexy and safe', at least choose 'sexy and safe.'  I'd much rather see Scarlett Johansson in her Black Widow costume drawing down on the target.  And it's the marketing department's shame, not the models.

Even Elly May Clampett made long sleeves and a gun look sexy.

[CriminalMindsFan]

I'm a guy, I love women and sex has sold me many things or at-least had me watching many things that can be bought or sold.

[Oniya]

I'm a guy, I love women and sex has sold me many things or at-least had me watching many things that can be bought or sold.

People advertising products with sexy people acting like idiots is insulting, both to the model, and to the consumer.  It implies that all they have to do is grab you by the 'nads, and you'll cheerfully shell out money to them.