I probably won't answer many comments. I'm also not gonna make what I say sound more pretty... Sorry.
I've seen the memes like "trans people have a hell beam that came with HRT" come up more and more often. We do. It's called pepper spray. Please learn from my mistakes and get one before you regret not having one. Carry it with you daily, in a pocket where it is easy to reach, ideally with your dominant hand. It's not a problem for us tomboy- ish cargo pants lovers, but if you are cursed with female pockets, get one you can clip into a pocket or your waistband. If you tuck your shirt in too then consider buying a pepper gun like a guardian angel that you can carry inside the waistband. And I can't stress this enough, you won't be able to find your pepper spray fast enough if you just throw it into a purse.
Regardless if it's someone getting really aggravated at you being trans or if someone starts to masturbate while looking at you on public transport and following you through the train when you get up and leave, regardless if you use it or not. Even just having it as a backup is extremely important.
I didn't bring those examples up for nothing, both things, and even worse, happen (happened to me, friends and family too, trans and cis) and we are just as vulnerable - if not more - than most other people. The only way we can protect ourselves against a guy twice our strength and weight is by playing unfair. If you need to, use pepper spray. If they have you restrained, bite, poke in their eyes, and the first chance you have, run. Speaking of which, learn how to run fast for a short period of time. If you already do running from time and time again, do a sprint at the end of your session.
If you want to learn actually stuff about self defense, I personally can recommend getting some Krav Maga courses. It's a fighting technique that focuses on getting the fuck out of a situation. I sadly don't have the money for it anymore but I will pick it back up.
This world can be cruel and that comes from someone who lives in one of the safest areas in the world. The point of all of this isn't to make you scared of everyone and everything. I'm saying this because I want you to be able to stand tall and proud despite everything because if worst comes to worst, you know how to fend for yourself.
If you have any more useful information on self defense, please comment them.
Stay safe out there <3
great info!
this is the state of Utah concealed carry reciprocity map. if you take a local concealed carry course (mine was $40 cash) and mail in the State of Utah Concealed Carry Permit application ($87) and are approved (3 weeks for me) you get a card allowing you legal concealed carry in all of these states. I was worried that being very obviously trans in my photo might slow up my application but it did not matter and the permit they gave me has an X in the gender marker. (i'm mtf but use the X to swell the ranks! solidarity!)
Palmetto State Armory email list offers really great deals on concealable pistols almost every week. Local pawnshops are another great source. If you passed the FBI permit check you will have no problem purchasing a firearm (that check will be run when you go to pick it up locally whether it's an online sale or over the counter).
If you decide to concealed carry I recommend training as much as you can afford, and a good kydex inner-waistband carry holster it makes a world of difference when it comes to not being visible outside of your clothes, safety and comfort. If you carry in a purse you need to make sure the purse is very secure (crossbody if possible) and latches so if you drop your purse or trip it won't tumble out. I would never tuck any kind of pistol into my waistband it's just not at all secure like a movie would lead you to believe!
If you frequently go on walks be alert, don't wear two earbuds at once, check your six every few blocks.
Stay safe ladies. After that girl got her teeth busted out in Seattle I have stopped assuming anywhere is safe. I have been shooting as a hobby for over 30 years and i'm happy to answer any questions!
That's actually really cool.
I'm just sadly not in the US. if you'd want to apply for a carry permit here you'd need to prove that you're at higher risk of being targeted (like being a politician, minorities don't really count...). Even so, since after a recent school shooting our government is overhauling the gun law, I'll probably won't ever be able to own a gun at all ever.
Long story short: every man at age 18 has to get a check if they are fit for the military or civil service and have to chose one if they are. The school shooter didn't pass the psychological test at the military but passed the gun owners permit psych eval. And now they are considering banning people who fail the psych evaluation from the military from ever getting a gun, which would include me since I was still registered as male at that time.
The only hope I have is that they see during the gun ownership evaluation that I'm female so I didn't have to go to the military evaluation and ignore that.
Would really suck if I couldn't because I'm a pretty big gun fanatic...
(Country is Austria btw)
oh yeah pretty us-centric take on my part.
I'm at a place where i think guns are neat, would prefer a civil society in which they are unnecessary, but see the odds greatly stacked against my personal safety so i'm glad for the security of it.
Do they allow that new generation of kinetic pistols over there? Basically high powered air pistols that shoot huge bearings to incapacitate an assailant.
From that description, it almost sounds like my paintball gun :D
In all seriousness though, if it's new then i'm 99% sure that it's allowed considering our government. Never heard of them tho
this is not an endorsement, I know nothing about these and no idea if they are safe, reliable or effective.
https://byrna.com/
they are neat though! If I had not been able to get my CCW these were high on my list to investigate!
Man, my prediction with my paintball gun was on point. The Mission 4 is literally the paintball gun I have, modified to shoot with CO2 capsules. Modded Tippmann TMC elite, it even still has the Tippmann logo molded into both the lower receiver and the grip
I can tell you from experience, the TMC is very reliable and effective but maybe not the most accurate (although I suspect that this is more of a skill issue on my part)
Umarex has something very similar with their T4E lineup. Basically co2 paintball markers (chambered down from .68 cal to .50 or .43) that are made to look like a real gun (like their glock 17 or PPQ, both of which I was thinking about buying back when I had money) that can also shoot pepper balls or rubber balls for self defense. I've heard though that the pepper balls aren't as effective as a dedicated spray.
that makes sense! having played paintball and used .22 co2 pistols I think i would be nervous about relying on it for my safety that's for sure, could you really get more than one very close range shot?
Even a modest little can of cs spray will let you paint a few assailants and hoof it.
Definitely could have that intimidation factor but that's tough to rely on!