There are some dangerous people out there. Violence is so prevalent in society that most universities require students to attend seminars regarding harassment; neighborhoods offer multiple self-defense classes for community members; and cities form organizations for the battered and abused. Self-defense weapons are at our fingertips. Guns, knives, expandable batons, pepper spray and Tasers are there, ready for purchase when we need security. But when it comes time to pick a weapon of choice, some devices are geared more towards certain genders.

On a trip to Bass Pro Shops, I went to look for a small canister of pepper spray. After finding the rack of self-protection devices, I noticed a trend. There were only three color options for pepper spray: pink, black or a pink flower pattern. And despite the seemingly unassuming black options, the packaging only showed women or women’s hands on them. Even if there was nothing but a brand and description on the neutral front, then the directions on the back included images of a male face getting sprayed.

It struck me that the pepper sprays, stun guns and screeching aerosol canisters were all meant for me, a woman. The sexual bias hit me like a truck. Not only was it putting women into a self-protection stereotype, but it also reduced the consumer base to only women. How do men feel? They are limited to only weapons that are deemed “masculine” by society. It is absurd. Come on. Mace is a hand-held tear gas. What could be more aggressive? Society has restricted both men and women into what they can respectively purchase to protect themselves with.

As I searched the internet, the smaller Tasers show up in pink and “blinged-out” options, while the larger Taser guns come in black or silver. This brings another point to face. Why are weapons colorful? Tasers and pepper spray are not toys. They are self-defense weapons. They are meant to cause severe harm to an attacker. The threat of these devices should not be underplayed by cute colors and sparkles. It is simply counterintuitive.

Defensive weapons are not feminine or wimpy. They are personal weapons and should be seen and treated as such. For any prospective purchasers of weapons, do not feel restricted by these sexist assumptions. Buy what you want in order to feel safe. End the stereotypes of pepper spray and other self-defense devices. Come together and defend your right to defend yourself.