I’m a “Hippie Liberal” Mom and No One Knows I Own Guns…Until Now

I still despise the NRA and believe in aggressive gun safety laws.

I have only used a shotgun and handgun, never an assault rifle. I’m not even sure what kind of weapon this woman is holding. Photo by Zhang H on Unsplash

I grew up in the suburbs of California, surrounded by fellow progressives and liberals who also champion civil rights, access to justice, and the role of the government in providing a social safety net.

I’m the mom who hosted a lot of playdates at my house because I was worried other parents had guns in their houses. I’m probably the last person you think would own guns. Yet I left the suburbs and now live in the country.

When we moved here, I reluctantly agreed to purchase a shotgun and a handgun for self-defense. I resisted the idea when my husband first brought it up because I worried about gun safety with kids in the house, as well as what owning a gun would signal about me.

After we talked it over, I realized it makes sense when you live in a rural area that doesn’t have its own police force. The county sheriff might take 30 minutes or more to get to us. If someone wanted to harm us, help might not arrive in time.

We also know many other residents do have guns. We never heard gunshots when we lived in the suburbs. It’s far more common out here in the country.