Marginalized communities turn to gun ownership in fear of Trump's authoritarianismhttps://www.advocate.com/news/liberals-lgbtq-embrace-gun-ownership 🔗Christopher Wiggins (17 Nov 2025)
A growing number of LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and politically liberal Americans are purchasing firearms for self-defense, in a profound shift in how vulnerable communities view safety in the face of an era of political volatility.
A new NPR report documents the experiences of liberals who once rejected gun culture but now feel compelled to arm themselves. It's an evolution that mirrors the violence and institutional failures outlined in this year's Advocates for Trans Equality's "Trans Day of Remembrance Report." Together, they paint a portrait of a country where the most marginalized no longer believe traditional systems will protect them.
For decades, American gun ownership was associated with being white, rural, and Republican. That picture is changing. Gun clubs, trainers, and researchers told NPR that liberals, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people have been buying firearms in increasing numbers for years, especially since President Donald Trump's 2024 reelection. Among the most notable indicators is the growth of the Liberal Gun Club, which now has chapters in more than 30 states and offers a space where progressives can train without stigma. Trainer David Phillips told the outlet that membership jumped fivefold since last November.
The reaction is from an increase in worry about personal safety.
That anxiety aligns with the TDOR report, which The Advocate previously covered, documenting 27 transgender or gender-nonconforming people killed between November 2024 and October, with 17 by gunfire. The majority were Black trans women, and in several cases, families' calls for police intervention were ignored.
