Over eight months after the tragic mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, some members of that city’s LGBTQ community are deciding to arm themselves and learn how to use a gun for defense.
Pink Pistols, a national gun rights organization catering to the gay community, has begun offering free classes one a month in the city to teach proper use of the weapons. Some of those taking the classes admit they are not fans of guns, but feel they have to protect themselves.
“The thought of me holding a gun is terrifying,” said Diana Georgey, who signed up for the classes, told NBC affiliate WESH-TV. "It (the Pulse Shooting) affected me in a way that I felt like I can't ever go anywhere and be safe."
The class is being taught by a licensed instructor from the National Rifle Association. The Pink Pistols say firearms, or at least the idea that they could be carrying concealed weapons, makes members of the LGBTQ community less at risk of being crime victims – with the organization’s slogan being “Armed gays don’t get bashed.”
