I wonder if I could get away with making a statement like this, if I was dumb enough to try? Law Professor Mary Anne Franks believes women should not be allowed to carry firearms because they would not be effective in their use. (women and effective use of guns). 

Where to start?  As a firearms instructor, I have taught over a hundred woman to shoot from basic pistol craft, to police combat shooting. Initially, women lag behind their male counterparts.  Once they get past the attitude that this is icky, they begin shooting better than their male counterparts.

I attribute this to the fact that while the boys watched every moment of every shoot out on TV, during the preceding ten years, the girls had something better to do. When both groups enter a shooting program, the guys have to unlearn ten years of bad Hollywood technique.  The girls are more receptive to instruction, have fewer preconceived notions and fewer bad habits to break.

Once proper techniques are established then it comes down to building muscle memory.  Those students had a prior history of athleticism will refine and retain their skills without regard to sex. The only advantage men may have at the end of training is that style and options for carry favor the men. The little black dress and a 1911 are not a combination that most fashion mavens take into consideration.

Professor Franks states that women who are assaulted do not have time to effectively deploy their concealed weapon.  Part of firearms training is to teach the student a situational awareness mind set. What she cannot measure are those women who recognize the potential for a situation to go wrong and take steps to defuse it prior to the time it becomes a crisis.  This can be as simple as crossing the street to refusing that offer to come up for a nightcap at the end of the date. In these instances the woman does not become a victim.

Professor Franks engages in a misdirection play.  If you are unaware, a gun can’t save you.  This isn’t news there are close to 100 dead cops this year to illustrate that point. A gun is a tool, that if you carry, reminds you not everything is wonderful, be wary. If despite your best efforts, bad things come your way, you may be able to rely on yourself, rather than the good graces of somebody who has already indicated they intend to do you harm.