by Glamour

About the author: Glamour is a monthly magazine devoted to topics concerning women. Each month features an editorial focus on a contemporary issue.

An armed society is a polite society. Is this a bad Jay Leno joke? No, it’s a slogan coined by Tom Washington, [former] president of the National Rifle Association (NRA). In other words, we’ll all mind our manners if we’re afraid of being blown away by just about anyone we encounter. As the political battle over gun control resumes, this bizarre motto has become a rallying cry for those who wish to put more guns and ammo in the hands of any and all Americans.

More than any other population group, women reject the notion that public safety comes from the barrel of a gun. Before...