A surge in gun ownership and firearm training among LGBTQ individuals and liberal groups has been reported ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Philadelphia Inquirer revealed that organizations like the Liberal Gun Club, the Socialist Rifle Association, and the Pink Pistols have seen dramatic increases in membership and training requests since the 2023 election.
The Liberal Gun Club reported thousands of training requests since November, with a quarter coming from LGBTQ individuals. The Pink Pistols, a gun advocacy group for LGBTQ individuals, uses the slogan, “Armed Gays Don’t Get Bashed,” to promote self-defense. The Socialist Rifle Association also noted a rise in memberships, reflecting broader concerns about personal safety in the political climate.
Matthew Thompson, an LGBTQ gun owner from New Jersey, explained the motivation driving many new firearm purchases. “It’s all about self-defense and fear,” Thompson said. “We’re not looking to arm up and storm the Capitol. We just don’t want to be put in concentration camps.”
In Baltimore, Ryan Haase, co-owner of Club Car, encouraged LGBTQ individuals to secure legal marriages before Trump’s inauguration, citing concerns about potential changes to same-sex marriage rights. Haase described marriage as “both a right and privilege that we need to celebrate and protect,” urging community members to act before any policy shifts could occur during Trump’s presidency.
The rise in gun ownership highlights growing anxieties among certain groups about personal and political safety. Many see self-defense as a necessity in an unpredictable social and political environment, while others are taking steps to protect hard-won rights such as same-sex marriage.
This trend underscores the broad impact of political transitions on diverse communities and the steps some are taking to address perceived risks to their safety and freedoms.
