Okay, so you want to take away a method for women who do want to fight back to fight back?

Again, I'm more then willing to give you that women wouldn't be able to defend themselves with a firearm in some of the situations you listed. But as I stated before women should at least have the ability to defend themselves in other situations.

How about we compromise, I'll give you that she's not ignorant, not entirely at any rate. But I still hold by my statement that here lack of confidence in her abilities is affecting here overall judgement of how guns should be carried.

Great rules for hunting, not exactly good for self defense.

Actually even if loaded a magazine fed semi automatic pistol (aka the most common kind of pistol used in self defense) still won't fire. Which requires chambering a round. Which requires pulling the slide all the way back to chamber that round.

So you don't actually know what you're talking about, but your're going to talk about it anyway? Man this is going to be awesome, but let me see if I can get it through to you anyway:

The part where she doesn't know how to carry her own weapon.

That's the first rule of safety when teaching people who don't know anything about guns how to handle a gun.

Really? Because all the available data I've seen is contrary to the data you're putting forth.

It doesn't take much training to create enough distance and engage with your sidearm.

Can you please explain to me how your own ignorance and lack of confidence in your own abilities should restrict other people from carrying a weapon?

You're not always expecting to be attacked. What's more is that attacks come from behind in hand to hand combat as much as they come from the front. You're still able to fight through it and engage with your weapon. Also despite clearly carrying a pistol on their leg (in addition to their primary rifle in their…

Could you explain to me how exactly firearms only present a very limited ability to protect myself?

What experience or practical knowledge are you basing your assumption that a firearm is useless at close ranges off of? I really want to know.

like stand in the middle of the fight, fire blindly, refuse to run away from grenades, and not take cover just long enough for the player to deliver justice in the form of a lead bullet

I would say that's false as their are myriad of women who've advanced their careers to high ranking postions. But let's say it's true, wouldn't a better line be "women are held back from high ranking postions"?

Serving as an 11B doesn't provide any more promotion points then serving as a 25U, 35M, 92Y, or anything else. Points are based off your actions, not your job. Or at least that's been my experience.

I would say SGT Hester is the exception, not the rule for what the average combat women are facing in today's conflicts.

I'm not saying there aren't women qualified to fill those positions.

women are already serving in combat, just without receiving the requisite benefits and honor that are supposed to follow.