Pink Pistols, Other LGBTQ Gun Groups Stay Armed Against Homophobia

Pink Pistols members have described losing friendships over their firearm fanaticism. Harmon Leon/Observer I’m having brunch with an LGBTQ Meetup group in Somerville, Massachusetts. It’s a diverse bunch whose backgrounds range from finance and paralegal to barista and plumber. As I dig into my huevos rancheros, our conversation turns to the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle; not in regard to banning the weapon. No. But more in terms of general practical tips on the firearm’s functionality. And almost every member at our brunch table seems to have their own insightful, experienced opinion.“What’s your name?” asks a friendly guy wearing a baseball cap with a thick New England accent.“Harmon,” I say.“I like this group because everyone has such unique names,” he shares. “At my regular gun group, everyone has the same seven names.”Subscribe to Observer’s Daily Newsletter[1]This is how it goes at the monthly gathering of the Boston chapter of the Pink Pistols—an LGBTQ gun group that first formed nationwide in 2000 and saw a spike in membership following the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, coupled with the election of Donald Trump.[2]The mottos of the Pink Pistols say it all: “Armed Gays Don’t Get Bashed” and “We Teach Queers to Shoot and We Teach the World We Did It.”The Boston Pink Pistols meet ups are designed to share gun affinity and instruction amongst the LGBTQ community—as well as providing time to fire off some heat at a nearby shooting range.“I don’t like trying to tell people they should be scared of crime rates or whatever,” said Aaron Grossman, president of the Boston chapter of the Pink Pistols. “I don’t like trucking in an emotion as a sales pitch.”Grossman, a congenial guy with a long braided ponytail, who grew up around gun culture in rural Massachusetts has a very eclectic background. He’s worked in the

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