Queer Citizens Stocking Up In Guns Ahead of Another Four Years of Trump as They 'Don't Want to Be Forced Into Concentration Camps'
The queer community is stocking up on guns to prepare for Donald Trump's presidency.
Jan. 7 2025, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
Nontraditional gun groups have seen a surge in interest following Donald Trump's reelection.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Liberal Gun Club reported receiving thousands of training requests, surpassing all of 2023, with about a quarter coming from LGBTQ+ individuals – who fear they could soon be "put in concentration camps."
In one city in particular, Philadelphia, local queer Facebook groups were flooded with questions about guns and training during the final weeks of the year.
The local Socialist Rifle Association, a left-wing counterpart to the NRA, saw a surge in paid memberships and quickly added more classes after their gun safety courses filled up.
Queer Philadelphia residents began asking more questions about guns and training during the final weeks of 2024.
The head of the Delaware Valley chapter of Pink Pistols, a gay gun group with the motto "Armed Gays Don't Get Bashed," also reported a sudden influx of emails asking about gun training.
Madeline Shearman, a transgender woman who runs a growing "2A social group" in Pennsylvania said: "There’s definitely a feeling among a lot of LGBT individuals: ‘If I can’t protect myself, who will?'"
Shearman added she "feels that way herself."
Trans individuals are preparing for self-defense as Trump gears up to take office this year.
Another unnamed trans woman in Philly said because of the current political climate, including Texas' ban on gender-affirming care for minors and Florida's restrictions on hormone prescriptions, she decided to explore armed self-defense.
The resident said she is new to target shooting and expressed fear over how LGBTQ+ people are portrayed in political ads.
Pennsylvania gun sales decreased in 2024, with 666,759 firearms purchased or privately transferred by the end of October – down from the 2020 record of 1.1 million, according to State Police data.
However, tracking changes in LGBTQ+ gun ownership is challenging due to the lack of published studies on this relatively small group, according to author and sociology professor David Yamane.
Yamane said American gun culture has shifted in recent years, moving from an emphasis on hunting and recreation to a focus on self-defense.
As this shift has occurred, gun ownership has become more diverse, with 2020 standing out as a key turning point.
Tracking changes in LGBTQ+ gun ownership is challenging due to the lack of published studies on this relatively small group.
He said: "It was a period of tremendous social unrest and social uncertainty. And a large number of people in the United States, under those conditions, look to firearms to reestablish some sense of safety and security."
Yamane noted racial and gender minorities "led the charge" in new gun ownership rates starting in 2020 and beyond.
He also highlighted key political events that sparked increased gun interest in the queer community.
Pink Pistols, for example, was inspired by Jonathan Rauch's proposal in a Salon article for homosexuals to embrace guns, learn gun safety, and organize shooting courses and licensing.
The 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting also sparked gun interest in the LGBTQ+ community, with individuals like Matthew Thompson, a gay man from New Jersey, purchasing guns for self-defense.
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Thompson, fearing for his safety while attending events, began practicing drills and later sought a concealed carry permit. He emphasized many LGBTQ+ gun buyers have been driven by fear, not a desire for violence.
Thompson said: "The people I’ve been seeing on the left and the gay people who are out purchasing guns for the first time, it’s all about self-defense and fear. We're not looking to arm up and storm the capital. We just don't want to be put in concentration camps."
Gun interest has peaked in the queer community after events such as the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub.
Meanwhile, the Socialist Rifle Association's local chapter in Philadelphia offers gun safety classes, focusing on community defense and also providing food, medical supplies, and first aid training.
A new gun-safety class in Philadelphia covers topics such as legal gun ownership, safety, and mental health, with an emphasis on responsible firearm use and storage.
Despite the desire for increased safety, research shows higher gun ownership is linked to higher rates of gun-related deaths and injuries. Attendees were reminded of the risks, including the high lethality of suicides involving firearms.
