Tom King says that some of the best shooters he knows are soccer moms, and stresses the importance of outreach.  I couldn’t agree more:
When the hand that rocks the cradle pulls the trigger on the range also the fight will be over.
I think that’s very true, and I’ve seen more than a few women take to shooting like a duck to water when introduced to it for the first time, even after being initially wary.
Bitter didn’t get her start in the gun issue until she hit college, but once she tried it, there was no going back for her. Some of the most vocal advocates on our side of the issue did not grow up raised as shooters or hunters, but came into it through circumstance.
Born again Gun Nuts?
Tried taking Better Half shooting once, but the noise and concussion was just too much for her. I am hoping one of the outdoor range locations might provide a solution for that…
Nothing that can be done about that. Some people really don’t like loud noises. I’ve found fear you can usually overcome. A dislike of loud noises is a tough one.
That’s part of the reason I bought the .22 pistol, so that the other half isn’t battered when shooting my 10mm, .357 magnum, or 7.62x54R, none of which are “light” rounds.
Of course, you have to be in the range while not too many others are, but handling something with a little less “OOMPH” definitely helps.
While I did grow up around firearms and never really thought about them as more than tools until much older, I used to be a card-carrying Liberal and am happy to be a recent convert.
I also converted my wife to the cause (http://www.gunownersagainstviolence.org)