Women and LGBTQ+ people take up guns after Trump’s win: ‘We need to protect ourselves’


The misogyny and anti-trans rhetoric that were hallmarks of the 2024 election campaign have seemingly ramped up since Donald Trump’s win, prompting some women, queer and trans people to respond by buying guns – and learning how to defend themselves from potential attackers.

The Guardian spoke to various Americans from marginalized groups taking firearms classes, arming themselves with stun guns and pepper spray and taking their friends shooting in an effort to protect themselves from bigots they fear will be emboldened by the president-elect’s return to power. A few left-leaning gun clubs say their numbers are increasing dramatically.


“I am thinking about carrying every day,” said Ashley Parten, 38, a Douglasville, Georgia, resident who purchased stun guns for herself, her daughter and three nieces after the election. Parten, who is Black and bisexual, is also eyeing a maroon handgun that she plans on buying after taking a firearms class.

“We all feel the need to make sure that we’re aware of our surroundings and protect ourselves in general, but even more so now,” she said.

Earlier this week, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, in effect targeted Sarah McBride, the first openly trans person elected to Congress, by stating single-sex bathrooms in the Capitol “are reserved for individuals of that biological sex”. Trump, whose campaign released a firehose of anti-trans attack ads, has promised to ban gender-affirming care for minors and “keep men out of women’s sports”.

The president-elect and several of his cabinet picks are also facing sexual misconduct allegations; he and his allies have bragged about the overturning of Roe v Wade and denigrated childfree women.

“Our identities are politicized every single day,” said Parten.
They should consider what the Supreme Court might look like without some of the more recent appointments.
 
What has struck me about the trans conversation on the right is that it's so unapologetically hateful - they don't even talk about trans citizens like they're human beings.

It's sad to me. I get debates about sports & all that - but they're still people, with rights & hopes & dreams and all of it.
These are the same people who not only bashed gay people, but crafted legislation restricting gay rights. Right up until they started getting caught in airport bathrooms, or getting massages.

It's quite possible that they have similar urges when it comes to the trans community?
 
The only of the alphabet soup that have cause for concern are the tans, and they never should have been allowed into the soup in the first place....they dont belong.
 
'Normalizing' severe mental illness isn't 'humanizing', it's just sick in itself, and sets the freaks up for failure when they should be getting therapy and prevented from mutilating themselves. None of that is anything Democrats would ever do.
Sounds like by "freaks" you mean people with gender dysphoria, and that you are angry the democrats are encouraging factors that will lead to these "freaks" being harmed.

Is that true? If so do you really hate the "freaks" or do you hate the "white knights" who are using them as their "damsels in distress"?

I have several guns, 3 kids and no mental health problems. Cope harder.
Well one mental health issue, you enjoy spreading disinformation online.

Since trump in 2016 synagogues have hardened our security and some including my own has CCW classes
Being pro-Isreal and anti-Trump is kinda bizzare. Then again religous people aren't the best critical thinkers so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they fall into propaganda traps.
 
Sounds like by "freaks" you mean people with gender dysphoria, and that you are angry the democrats are encouraging factors that will lead to these "freaks" being harmed.

Is that true? If so do you really hate the "freaks" or do you hate the "white knights" who are using them as their "damsels in distress"?


Well one mental health issue, you enjoy spreading disinformation online.


Being pro-Isreal and anti-Trump is kinda bizzare. Then again religous people aren't the best critical thinkers so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they fall into propaganda traps.
Savage low IQ goy
 
The only of the alphabet soup that have cause for concern are the tans, and they never should have been allowed into the soup in the first place....they dont belong.
What about your daughter who you say is gay?
"gay" is homosexual.

Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, which defines who or what arouses you.

Gender dysphoria is not a sexual orientation. The only overlap is in the fact that normal sexual attraction is defined by gender.
 
"gay" is homosexual.

Homosexuality is a sexual orientation, which defines who or what arouses you.

Gender dysphoria is not a sexual orientation. The only overlap is in the fact that normal sexual attraction is defined by gender.

Its all a form of mental aberration and mental illness.

None of it results in healthy, happy, productive, well-adjusted new Citizens.

I believe that Gay behavior, as well as Pedophilia, and number of other sexual aberrations, are all the result of on inbuilt, genetic, psychological pressure relief valve, which causes a down trend in birth rates, when a society is undergoing over-population pressures.

It is not wrong, or evil, or UN-natural, it is perfectly natural, and a inherent part of the human genome and instinctive psychology, to branch into various non-procreative sexual aberrations, when facing the societal pressures of over-population.

It has been a part of humanity for millennia, and won't stop anytime soon.

I don't condemn those afflicted with it, I just don't join in with their instinctive, pressures triggered, mania.

There but for the grace of God go I.

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Its all a form of mental aberration and mental illness.

None of it results in healthy, happy, productive, well-adjusted new Citizens.

I believe that Gay behavior, as well as Pedophilia, and number of other sexual aberrations, are all the result of on inbuilt, genetic, psychological pressure relief valve, which causes a down trend in birth rates, when a society is undergoing over-population pressures.
Can't agree with that, there was not enough time with high population, i.e. civilization for such a thing to evolve.

Besides there are much simpler ways, a simple reduction in sex drive would do.

Also it's not like natural selection doesn't have a crueler tool, in-species competition is nearly universal and humans are clearly not exempt. We claim territory and then we kill anyone who doesn't respect it.

If there is a crises within the group we purge or splinter.

Our tribes have never been bigger than a thousand until very very recently (12,000 years ago if current archeology is telling the whole story).


It is not wrong, or evil, or UN-natural, it is perfectly natural, and a inherent part of the human genome and instinctive psychology, to branch into various non-procreative sexual aberrations, when facing the societal pressures of over-population.
A natural function that is simultaneously a mental illness? Seems like a contradiction in terms.

Your theory that it is based on overpopulation would predict that lightly populated areas would see a significantly lower rate of sexual deviance, but that has been been observed by any study I am aware of.

Furthermore controlling for cultural factors would be nearly impossible. For example if rural areas tended to be conservative and religious while urban universities were basically putting sexual deviance on a pedestal that would skew the results to make it appear as if your theory is correct.


I don't condemn those afflicted with it, I just don't join in with their instinctive, pressures triggered, mania.
What exactly do you mean by "mania" and how much of it is (in your opinion) biologically driven?
 
Good, now they can protect themselves from those dangerous Cake Bakers.

It's nice to see more people oppose the Democrat gun takers and banners, and support their own 2A rights. :thup: I kinda luv it. As long as they are not stupid, dangerous "Alec Baldwins".
And Alec Baldwin no doubt...
 
Can't agree with that, there was not enough time with high population, i.e. civilization for such a thing to evolve.

Besides there are much simpler ways, a simple reduction in sex drive would do.

Also it's not like natural selection doesn't have a crueler tool, in-species competition is nearly universal and humans are clearly not exempt. We claim territory and then we kill anyone who doesn't respect it.

If there is a crises within the group we purge or splinter.

Our tribes have never been bigger than a thousand until very very recently (12,000 years ago if current archeology is telling the whole story).



A natural function that is simultaneously a mental illness? Seems like a contradiction in terms.

Your theory that it is based on overpopulation would predict that lightly populated areas would see a significantly lower rate of sexual deviance, but that has been been observed by any study I am aware of.

Furthermore controlling for cultural factors would be nearly impossible. For example if rural areas tended to be conservative and religious while urban universities were basically putting sexual deviance on a pedestal that would skew the results to make it appear as if your theory is correct.



What exactly do you mean by "mania" and how much of it is (in your opinion) biologically driven?

There are many things in the human genome which are simultaneously both an illness, and also a benefit and clever adaptive, natural selection strategy for the species.

Look at all the many forms of cancer. To the individual person, obviously a fatal aberration of genetic code. But to the species as a whole, it keeps lifetimes, on average short, allowing for much more effective natural selection and mutation of the genetic code, to adapt to rapidly changing environments and competition.

Bad for the individual, but great for the species!

Well, the sexual aberrations are likely much the same.

Rotten for the individual to take on a sudden sexual attraction to barrel-cactus, due to over-population pressures, but great for the rapid adaption and self-population-reguation of the species as whole.

Humans are by far the most complex creatures on earth.

Why would we expect them to be sexual instinct simple?

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There are many things in the human genome which are simultaneously both an illness, and also a benefit and clever adaptive, natural selection strategy for the species.

Look at all the many forms of cancer. To the individual person, obviously a fatal aberration of genetic code. But to the species as a whole, it keeps lifetimes, on average short, allowing for much more effective natural selection and mutation of the genetic code, to adapt to rapidly changing environments and competition.
Kurmugeon that's entirely wrong.

If cancer was reliably associated with old age then maybe you could claim it was some kind of suicide switch but it is not. Furthermore we are one of the longest lived species on the planet, we have thousands of cousins to compare to with much shorter lifespans and none of them use cancer as a biological time limit.

Killing children (and there is childhood cancer) is not advantageous to natural selection. The only selection that occurs as a result of cancer is that people with less cancerous genes are selected.


Rotten for the individual to take on a sudden sexual attraction to barrel-cactus, due to over-population pressures, but great for the rapid adaption and self-population-reguation of the species as whole
Except it isn't proportional to population and there is nothing sudden about these patterns of attraction.


Humans are by far the most complex creatures on earth.

Why would we expect them to be simple?
Not in terms of genetics, we don't have that much more information than average.
 
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