Pittsburgh's Pink Pistols Marks First Year as Second Amendment Community

LGBTQ gun rights group aims to empower queer people through firearms training and community

Jan. 30, 2026 at 10:39am

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The Pink Pistols Pittsburgh chapter formed a year ago, becoming one of 50 chapters of the national LGBTQ gun rights organization across the U.S. and Canada. The local group provides a welcoming space for LGBTQ people and allies to learn safe and legal firearms training, as the community faces heightened tensions and a rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation and hate crimes.

Why it matters

The Pink Pistols movement is gaining new members alongside expanding interest in gun ownership from minority groups. The group aims to empower the LGBTQ community through firearms training and visibility, believing that an armed and organized queer community can deter potential hate crimes.

The details

Pink Pistols Pittsburgh was founded by Kevin Edler and his wife Lex, who both identify as queer. After the 2024 election, the couple felt they could no longer rely on the government to protect their safety and decided to create a community of LGBTQ gun owners. The group provides firearms training, first aid, and responsible gun ownership education, and has seen a surge in interest as rhetoric targeting transgender people has intensified.

  • In September 2024, Kevin and Lex got married and soon after, Kevin purchased his first handgun on Black Friday.
  • In the months after Trump's 2024 election victory, the couple started the Pittsburgh chapter of Pink Pistols.
  • In August 2025, a shooting at a Catholic school and the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk fueled conspiracy theories about transgender people and violence, leading to increased demand for Pink Pistols' training and resources.

The players

Pink Pistols Pittsburgh

A local chapter of the national LGBTQ gun rights organization, providing a welcoming space for LGBTQ people and allies to learn safe and legal firearms training.

Kevin Edler

Co-founder of the Pink Pistols Pittsburgh chapter, who is a queer individual and firearms instructor.

Lex

Co-founder of the Pink Pistols Pittsburgh chapter, who is a queer individual and Edler's wife.

Kei

A member of Pink Pistols Pittsburgh and competitive shooter, who found the group after experiencing harassment and wanted to expand their self-defense skills.

National Rifle Association (NRA)

The gun rights organization that provided support to the queer gun rights community when the Justice Department proposed restricting transgender people from owning guns.

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What they’re saying

“I'm less scared now. I certainly feel more encouraged to go outside. Not because I'm looking to start a fight, more because I feel like I have the training and tools now to give me an edge in preventing the fight in the first place, and if necessary, winning the fight.”

— Kei, Pink Pistols Pittsburgh member and competitive shooter (Pittsburgh's Public Source)

“I completely disagree that stricter gun control is the solution for keeping people safer right now. I think it would be really detrimental for us to give up our firearms in a time where we are potentially at risk of losing other constitutional rights. I think the 2A [Second Amendment] exists to protect all of the other amendments in the Constitution.”

— Lex, Co-founder of Pink Pistols Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh's Public Source)

“If enough LGBT people start carrying and being loud and visible about it, that will make bigots and extremists and people who might be motivated to commit a hate crime think twice before they try to attack an LGBT person, essentially changing the narrative and changing the perception of LGBT people that we are weak … that we are snowflakes.”

— Lex, Co-founder of Pink Pistols Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh's Public Source)

What’s next

The Pink Pistols Pittsburgh chapter plans to continue providing firearms training, first aid, and responsible gun ownership education to the LGBTQ community and allies, as they work to empower the community and deter potential hate crimes.

The takeaway

The formation of the Pink Pistols Pittsburgh chapter reflects the growing interest in gun ownership among minority groups, particularly the LGBTQ community, as they seek to protect themselves in the face of heightened tensions and a rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation and hate crimes. The group's mission to create a welcoming space for LGBTQ people to learn safe and legal firearms training highlights the diverse perspectives within the gun rights movement.