Ah the caliber wars! the debate just goes on.. and on.. and on.. and on.

First off, bear in mind that the vast majority of gun owners just ain't as "into it" as the members of this board. Many just own a rifle or shotgun for hunting. If they do have a handgun, its usually for home defense. And those that actually carry a gun do so with minimum knowledge or training. Most of what they know came from social media and the internet.

For many years the keyboard commandos have been screaming that "anything less than 9mm will just get you killed!".

And many gun owners believe that and just aren't interested in anything else, much less a puny little .32.
I, OTOH, believe its more about skill, shot placement and understanding the capabilities and limitations of what you carry.
I've told the story many times about my wife's arthritis and how it led her to a 2" Model 30-1 in .32 long. She shot that gun very well and had complete confidence in it.

I, myself, have been known to carry nothing more than a tiny mouse gun in .25acp from time to time.
If you wanna carry a .32, more power to ya. I personally think that the .32acp and the guns made for it are seriously under rated.
It ain't about caliber. Its about knowing your gun and yourself.