Might some women be avoiding getting concealed handgun permits because they don't want to be in classes with men?

I hadn't really thought that this could be a problem.

Faith Ferkel has found a universal concern among Ohio women who want to use firearms to protect themselves. Many of the women who would like to obtain a concealed weapon permit are intimidated by the thought of taking the state's mandatory Basic Pistol course with a room full of men.

The NRA certified instructor from Fremont, Ohio, came up with a simple solution when she teamed up with her mother to teach all-ladies pistol courses. Faith and her mom, Joy Ferkel, an adjunct instructor of English and Communications at a local community college, have sparked an idea that is bringing many local women into the firearms circle. There are no male teachers and no male students in their classes, just a relaxed feminine atmosphere that creates a comfortable place to learn.

While the students didn't all have the same reason for wanting to learn how to handle a gun, they all chose the Ferkels' class for the same reason: there were no men. "I probably wouldn't have come if it wasn't an all-girls class," said Rhonda Soper, a legal secretary from Clyde. . . .

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