“We’re filling a niche that there’s demand for and yet there’s no place in Pittsburgh without us creating one.” That’s the ethos behind Pink Pistols Pittsburgh, a new chapter in a national network of LGBTQIA+ gun owners focused on legal, safe, and responsible self-defense. With a motto like “Armed queers don’t get bashed,” the group is unapologetic about reclaiming the right to protect queer lives in an increasingly volatile political climate.
The chapter was founded in late 2024 by Kevin and Lex, partners and activists who became first-time gun owners after the U.S. presidential election. Concerned by rising anti-LGBTQ+ violence and emboldened extremism, they realized there wasn’t a local, explicitly queer space to train or talk about firearms responsibly.
“We thought that time was running out,” said Kevin. “We didn’t see a queer gun club in Pittsburgh, and we didn’t want to wait for someone else to make one.”
After finding the national Pink Pistols organization and connecting with a Massachusetts contact who knew the national coordinator, they secured the chapter handbook and got to work. By February 2025, Pink Pistols Pittsburgh was holding monthly range events, and Kevin had become a certified NRA firearms instructor.
Pink Pistols Pittsburgh is about more than just guns. It’s about building queer safety, visibility, and community strength. Their core values include:
- Safety First – Offering training for responsible, trauma-informed firearm ownership.
- Inclusivity – Welcoming folks across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, regardless of skill or experience.
- Education – Demystifying the process of becoming a trained gun owner.
- Community – Building mutual support networks in the face of rising threats.
- Advocacy – Reframing the Second Amendment as a tool for queer liberation, not exclusion.
Kevin teaches a customized “Intro to Pistol” class based on NRA curriculum, which covers the basics of handling a firearm. Students learn the three golden rules:
- Always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.
- Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Keep your gun unloaded until you’re ready to use it.
Many students attend with mixed feelings; some are pacifists, others are nervous first-timers, but all are looking for tools to feel safer in a world where hate crimes and aggressions remain a threat.
“I’ve had self-declared pacifists come to my class,” Kevin says. “They say, ‘I don’t want to be here, but I feel I need to be here to feel safe.’ That’s why I’ve created a space that’s inclusive and welcoming.”
The group operates on a radical accessibility model: no dues, no rosters, no gatekeeping. According to the national handbook, membership is based on self-declaration; if you say you’re a Pink Pistol, you are one. No sign-ups required.
To reduce financial barriers, Pink Pistols Pittsburgh collaborates with Operation Blazing Sword, a nonprofit that helps cover the cost of range fees, targets, and even ammo for those training with certified instructors like Kevin.
Pink Pistols also offers non-firearm self-defense and safety education, including personal protective measures, non-lethal self-defense and “Stop the Bleed” workshops, and community hangouts and casual gatherings.
“We show people everything they need to go from not owning a gun to owning one and carrying it legally and safely,” Kevin says. “That includes helping with concealed carry licenses, finding the right holster, and practicing range safety. It’s all part of building queer resilience.”
While queer communities have historically leaned toward disarmament, Pink Pistols reframes gun ownership through the lens of self-determination and liberation.
“Your Second Amendment rights protect all your other rights,” says Kevin. “The state historically used gun control to disarm and suppress Black and Indigenous communities. We see queer gun ownership as part of that broader struggle for autonomy.”
Looking ahead, Kevin and Lex hope to grow the chapter and share leadership, creating more opportunities for peer-led training and mutual empowerment.
Pink Pistols Pittsburgh is reclaiming power through knowledge, training, and solidarity.
“We’re not here to play into fear,” says Kevin. “We’re here to give people tools to feel empowered, safe, and seen.”
Pink Pistols Pittsburgh welcomes queer and trans folks of all backgrounds who want to learn about self-defense, whether or not they ever plan to own a firearm.
You can find out more about them on Instagram, Facebook, or their website.