The unfortunate reality of being a female-identifying person within the present climate means that you most likely feel scared and vulnerable regularly, whether it be walking to your car in a parking garage or walking home at night alone. Yes, it is 2021, but we still are constantly experiencing harassment, intimidation and just overall fear almost daily. Having a safety net on me at all times (and by that I mean a self-defense weapon) has definitely helped with my vulnerability-related anxiety, so here are some great self-defense tools and shops to check out if you’re considering adding one to your “arsenal.”
- Alyssa D. Silos Art
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I stumbled upon Alyssa D. Silos and her art a few months ago on Instagram (@alythuh) and fell in love with her products, especially her self-defense line. She has two lines of self-defense products—one with a fairytale type aesthetic and another that sports more femme fatale type designs. All products can be added to a keychain, and she sells everything from alarms to pocket knives! I recently purchased the Luna Defense Keychain and the Lazuli Mushroom keychain knife, and was super impressed with the quality and design! Even better, the shop has teamed up with Maya’s Organization Inc. in the Philippines to donate many of the products to prevent sexual abuse in the Philippines.
- Defender Ring
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If you’re in the market for something that is easier to carry around for everyday use, Defender Ring is the perfect self-defense tool for you. They have both Everyday Rings and Ring Weapons, which differ only in the size of the hidden blade. The blades are concealed in an assortment of ring adornments, curated to match a variety of aesthetics and both minimalist and maximalist.
- Indomitable
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I originally found out about this shop through tiktok (@indomitable45) and am so glad I did! A small business run by a 21-year-old college student, Indomitable sells self defense sets, which are keychains decked out with an assortment of tools—typically including pepper spray, a whistle, an LED light and a tactical stick—concealed by some cute decorative keychains. Aside from being functional, the keychains are super cute and she sells a wide variety of colors and patterns!
- Forged Iron Hair Pins
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While I don’t personally own these, I was extremely tempted to further drain my already depleted bank account by buying these for the sake of bad*ssery. These iron hairpins have a sharp tip, making them dual-purposed as an accessory and a weapon. Sold on Etsy by @DavidBenjamini, a set is under $20.00, and I am certain that if Mulan lived in 2021 she would own a few!
- Anzid Safety Alarm (Amazon)
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A more minimalistic option, the Anzid Safety Alarm is a security alert keychain that is sold in 3 colors (pink, blue and white) on Amazon. Equipped with an LED light and a loud siren, the small keychain is perfect to carry around daily. The battery is very long-lasting, and with only 30 minutes on the USB charger it will have enough power for days, making it extremely convenient for traveling and long-term use.
It can be easy to feel powerless as a female-identifying person, but any one of these great self-defense tools can help you take back your power! We are bad*ss, and there’s nothing like a cute (and defensive) keychain to remind us of that!