Kamala Harris’ revelation at the most recent presidential debate that she is a gun owner caught some viewers by surprise – the vice president has said relatively little over the years about her personal experience of owning a firearm.

The remarkable utterance underscored Democrats’ increasing comfort with the country’s gun culture, and how Harris is trying to use it to puncture notions about female candidates.

Harris previously mentioned that she owned a gun during her 2020 bid for the Democratic presidential nominee. She revealed she owned a gun for personal safety. A Harris aide told CNN this month that her gun was a pistol tiny enough to fit in a small purse.