New Book Shatters Stereotypes About Who is Carrying Guns

You might be surprised.

By Alain StephensJune 18, 2015 1:12 pm

Pretty soon people with concealed carry handgun licenses in Texas won’t have to actually conceal – they’ll be able to carry some guns out in the open. But until then, you probably won’t know if the person sitting next to you at the restaurant is carrying or not.

There are an estimated two guns for every person in the state, and there’s a stereotype about those who carry handguns.  Perhaps you have a pretty accurate mental picture of who they are. Or do you?

Shelley Calton is a photographer who’s shattering a lot of stereotypes with her new book of photographs titled, “Concealed: She’s Got a Gun.”

“A friend of mine told me of a scary visit at a hair salon, where a woman patron dropped her purse and her handgun went off,” she says. “So this just made me curious about women that decide to arm themselves – so that led to this photo series.”

“We live in a society where the majority of sexual assault and domestic violence is against women,” Calton continues. “I think that says a lot. The women that I photographed are making a bold statement that they refuse to be vulnerable and victimized.”

Listen to the full interview in the audio player above.

[cq_vc_thumbnailcaption images=”7193″ minheight=”100%” smallheight=”100%” imageposition=”top” onclick=”lightbox” backgroundcolor=”#efefef” autoplayspeed=”4000″ imagewidth=”480″ captiontitle=”Photo via Shelley Calton” caption=”“Carol and Sandy,“ another image from photographer Shelley Calton’s book, “Concealed.“”]