LGBTQ people reveal outrageous reason they’re buying guns

Across the country, LGBTQ people are taking up arms, driven by fear of escalating political rhetoric, targeted legislation and what many describe as the specter of persecution.

As the Republican Party has pushed for increasingly restrictive gender-affirming care policies and divisive policies, some LGBTQ Americans are turning to self-defense as their ultimate safeguard.

“It’s all about survival,” Matthew Thompson, a 36-year-old gay man from Oakland, New Jersey, told the Philadelphia researcher.

“We have no intention of arming ourselves and storming the Capitol. We just don’t want to end up in concentration camps.’

Thompson’s words reflect an increasingly vocal sentiment within the LGBTQ community, especially in states where conservative lawmakers have passed bans on gender-affirming care and portrayed transgender people as societal threats.

For many, the idea of ​​armed self-defense is no longer theoretical, but something that feels essential.

For a 24-year-old trans woman from Philadelphia named Amy, the decision to purchase her first firearm came after months of turmoil.

As Texas enforced a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and Florida limited access to hormone therapies, she felt an urgent need to prepare for her own safety.

“Alarm bells started ringing three months before the election,” Amy said.

On November 2, she had purchased a Ruger Security-380 pistol, driven by the belief that “armed minorities are harder to legally suppress.”

Amy practiced her aim at an outdoor shooting range at French Creek State Park in Pennsylvania.

Rainbow hearts and a “Protect Trans Kids” sticker adorned her water bottle as spent bullet casings piled up at her feet, each shot reaffirming her sense of agency.

She admitted that she never imagined herself at a shooting range, but when anti-LGBTQ rhetoric reached a fever pitch across the country in 2024, she decided she couldn’t wait for protection to come from someone else.

“In the event of hate crimes or terrorist attacks, I know that I am personally armed and can protect my property and people close to me,” she said.

“I try not to live in fear, but if no one else is going to protect me, then I will.”

Amy bought her first gun in November at Delia’s Gun Shop in Northeast Philadelphia and is now applying for a concealed carry permit in Pennsylvania, although she doesn’t plan to carry her gun daily.

Amy’s story is part of a larger movement. Since Donald Trump’s re-election, non-traditional gun groups have reported a surge in interest.

The Liberal Gun Club, a national organization that promotes firearms training for progressive Americans, has received thousands of new training requests, with LGBTQ individuals accounting for nearly a quarter of these requests.

In Philadelphia, queer-focused Facebook groups and forums have become hubs for discussions about gun training and gun ownership.

The Socialist Rifle Association (SRA), a left-wing alternative to the NRA, has experienced a similar influx.

The Delaware Valley chapter reported a spike in memberships and saw gun safety classes filling up faster than ever.

The Pink Pistols, a long-standing LGBTQ gun advocacy group founded in 2000 with the slogan “Armed Gays Don’t Get Bashed,” has also seen a rise in inquiries with more than two dozen chapters in the United States

“There’s definitely a feeling among LGBTQ individuals: ‘If I can’t protect myself, who can?’ said Madeline Shearman, a trans woman who leads a gun safety group in Pennsylvania. ‘I experience it myself too.’

Shearman leads a growing “2A social group” for LGBTQ individuals, focusing on responsible gun ownership and self-defense.

Experts note that America’s gun culture is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditionally associated with hunting and recreation, firearms are now increasingly seen as self-defense tools, especially by marginalized groups.

Sociologist David Yamane, an expert on American gun culture, calls the shift among LGBTQ gun owners part of “Gun Culture 2.0,” with self-defense replacing traditional hunting and recreation as the primary motivator for firearm purchases.

Yamane points to the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice protests and the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando as pivotal moments that reshaped the country’s relationship with guns.

“It was a period of enormous social unrest and uncertainty,” Yamane said. “A large number of people in the United States are looking to firearms under these circumstances to restore a sense of safety and security.”

He added that racial and gender minorities led the charge for new gun ownership during this period.

For many in the LGBTQ community, the Pulse shooting remains a terrifying reminder of their vulnerability.

Survivors like Brandon Wolf have since become outspoken advocates for preparedness, while others like Thompson have taken matters into their own hands.

After Pulse, Thompson began practicing firearms drills at home, setting timers to simulate emergency situations and sharpening his ability to respond quickly.

Despite the rush to arm, critics warn of the dangers associated with greater access to firearms.

Studies consistently show that higher rates of gun ownership correlate with higher rates of gun-related suicides, homicides and accidents.

Groups like the Socialist Rifle Association emphasize responsible gun ownership, mental health awareness and safe storage to reduce these risks.

At a recent SRA training session in West Philadelphia, participants learned the basics of Pennsylvania’s gun laws, safe handling practices and the realities of firearm ownership.

Organizers emphasized the duality of weapons as a means of defense and as a potential source of harm.

“Guns are weapons, and they are very good at what they do, which is kill things,” said one instructor. “85 percent of suicide attempts with firearms result in death. So you have to pay close attention to whether this is something you want to bring into your life.”

Doug, a non-binary therapist and first-time gun owner, attended the class before purchasing an AR-15.

Concerned about possible future restrictions on firearm purchases for gender-nonspecific individuals, they said their decision was rooted in a broader distrust of the country’s political trajectory.

“This country is not on very solid foundations,” Doug said. “As a Boy Scout, I prefer to be prepared.”