Well boys and girls, today is supposed to be “A Day Without Women” – you know, where countless numbers of insufferable feminists don their vagina hats and call in sick to really stick it to the patriarchy… or something, I don’t know, I was too busy working to slow down and listen to their crazy babbling.

The firearms industry, shooting sports community and gun rights movement have always included women. Now, more than ever, women are proudly stepping up to not only embrace their right to keep and bear arms, but they’re smokin’ the boys, too!

So today, instead of calling in sick, I’d like to highlight ten amazing women in our industry who show up each and every day to advance the rights of women (and men) and work tirelessly to defend the Second Amendment.

Dana Loesch

Please, we can’t have a listicle about women in the firearms industry without starting with Dana! Mrs. Loesch is a wife and mother, not to mention an American conservative talk radio host and TV host on The Blaze and the DL on NRA News and author of Hands Off My Gun and Flyover States. As if that isn’t enough, the NRA recently named Loesch a Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President for Public Communication, with full authority to speak on behalf of the NRA.

Hats off to my good friend Dana, who I know full well is putting in another long, hard work day today.

Kristi McMains

Kristi’s name first happened across a year ago when she was the subject of a Guns Saving Lives article I wrote. After saving herself with a gun, Kristi decided to stand up for more than just herself. She has since been featured in a commercial against Hillary Clinton for the NRA, been a member of several 2A panels including a stellar contribution at this year’s CPAC and is finding support from her concealed carry advocacy work.

Jana Waller

Hunter, conservationist and advocate for veterans nationwide, Jana Waller is a triple threat on every level. Jana, a native of Wisconsin, is the host and co-producer of the popular Sportsman Channel show Skull Bound TV and is an active member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International, National Wild Turkey Federation, Mule Deer Foundation, United States Sportsman Alliance, and the NRA. Jana also works tirelessly to promote a variety of veteran-related organizations including Elder Heart, Mission 22 and the Phoenix Patriot Foundation.

Gabby Franco

Don’t let her size fool you, Gabby Franco packs a big punch! When she was 16, Gabby became part of the Venezuelan Olympic shooting team and won her first international silver medal at the 1997 Bolivarian Games in Arequipa, Peru, and went on to compete in 14 different countries, earning at least a dozen of International titles.

After she moved to the United States in 2002, Gabby started competing at USPSA matches and participated in tactical shooting trainings. Today, Gabby is a wife and mother staying active in the industry as an NRA certified firearms instructor, NRA News commentator, member of the Remington shooting team, author, NRA Blog contributor, and speaker.

Kim Rhode

Kim is a force to be reckoned with, on the U.S. Olympic Shooting Team and beyond. A double trap and skeet shooter from California, Kim is a six-time Olympic medal winner, including three gold medals, and six-time national champion in double trap. After battling to come back after a difficult pregnancy, Kim’s performance in Rio made her the first Olympian to win a medal on five different continents and the first Summer Olympian to win an individual medal at six consecutive summer games.

In addition to co-hosting the Outdoor Channel TV program Step Outside, Kim is an honorary lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a member of Safari Club International.

Julie Golob

Wife, mother, trainer, competitive shooter, social media maven, friend and mentor. Is there anything Julie doesn’t do in this industry? Oh, well let’s add author to that list then, too.

In the Army, Julie was awarded a coveted a letter of acceptance to the Army’s Action Shooting Team, and went on to do so much more after serving her country. Julie became the first and only Five Division USPSA Ladies National Champion, winning the Ladies National Title at the USPSA Limited-10, Single-Stack and Production Nationals – making her the first woman to earn a USPSA Nationals Triple Crown. In 2011, Julie won the Ladies Revolver National Title, becoming the first shooter in history (male or female) to win a national title in all six USPSA divisions.

She also added to her win tally in NRA Action Pistol, hoisting the coveted Ladies Bianchi Cup three times. Building her established resume in International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) events, she has won a total of 7 national titles in defensive pistol. 7 World title wins in Steel Challenge, 3 World Shoot Off  and 2 International Revolver Championships wins are also on the lengthy list. With over 50 world and national titles in 7 different shooting disciplines, Julie is one shooter you can’t help but look up to – she’s earned our respect!

An author, hunter, host of the NRA program Love at First Shot, official spokesperson for the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe, host of her own podcast series, mom, wife, and friend – Julie is one woman we can’t imagine the firearms industry without.

Melody Lauer

If you don’t know Melody, you need to get to know her. Melody, formerly known as Lima Tunes, has been a Rangemaster Advanced handgun and NRA Certified handgun instructor since 2007 and works as the director of training for Citizens Defense Research. As the mother to three wonderfully rambunctious (normal) children, Melody worked to develop training courses for parents – focusing on how to draw and carry with little ones on your hip and en tow.

An Emergency Medical Technician and Lucky Gunner writer dedicated to learning and sharing the most effective skills in preserving innocent life, this Ballistic Radio babe packs a mighty punch. (she’s also from Wisconsin, ya know!)

Carrie Lightfoot

The founder and CEO of The Well-Armed Woman is so much more than you think she is: before starting TWAW, she was the director of an art galley, the CEO of an innovative e-commerce glass landscape company, and the COO for a religious charity (who knew?!). Carrie got her start when she opened an online boutique to sell concealed carry gear for women, and quickly realized women needed more than gear, they needed training and a community to plug into.

Since launching the TWAW chapter program in 2012 along with instructor-certification training, The Well-Armed Woman now has over 300 chapters across the United States where women can take part in ongoing training!

Susan LaPierre

Susan LaPierre, wife of NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, is much more than a trophy wife. She’s a philanthropist and a staunch advocate for the Second Amendment, concealed carry and female shooters! Susan is the co-chair of the NRA Women‘s Leadership Forum and hosts the Women’s Leadership Luncheon & Auction at the Annual Meetings and the annual NRA Women’s Leadership Forum Summit.

Morgan Mills

She can sing, she can shoot and she’s funny as all get out. Morgan Mills, host of On Location NRA Country is a rising star in all things country. Back in California, Morgan enjoyed shooting firearms at a range near Los Angeles and when she moved to Nashville seven years ago, Morgan worked at Nashville Armory selling firearms. She earned an NRA certification as a pistol instructor, and began teaching. “I was singing on the weekends and writing on the weekdays and heading to the range.”

“I come from a long line of faith-filled farmers, and learned a respect for the outdoors, hunting, my freedoms and the country lifestyle,” Morgan told NRA Family. “It’s important to me to carry on that heritage.”

Well God bless you, Morgan and God bless all the fantastic women of the Second Amendment and shooting sports for all you do each and every day!

There are so many other fantastic women I could mention; Ashley Hlebinsky, Natalie Foster, Katie Pavlich, Kristy Titus, Ashlee Lundvall… the list goes on and on, and I’m sure yours does, too!

Want to give a shoutout to your favorite firearm toting female today? Tag them in the comments or tweet them using the hashtag #2AWomensDay and join fellow gun owners as we share how important women are by acknowledging the gaggle of gunny gals we love each and every day!!