Pink Pistols of South Central Indiana

[techres]

At the end of last year I was approached by some members of the Indiana shooting community in and asked if I would be willing to start up a chapter of the Pink Pistols for south central Indiana. They asked me because they themselves are not able to be public about membership for a variety of reasons and I have a history of being a bridging person inside of the shooting community and elsewhere.


For those who do not know the Pink Pistols, they are a firearms instruction organization made up of both gay and gay friendly individuals providing a more comfortable and private space than that often found elsewhere ( Pink Pistols National | Pick On Someone Your Own Caliber if you want to know more). In any event, I have accepted their offer to be the public lead to the project and one of the founders of the PPSCI (south central indiana) group.


The national organization has approved the chapter and we will soon begin monthly gatherings, personal instruction coordination as well as some big quarterly events.


Anyone who is interested, feel free to PM me directly.


Oh, and since I cannot do anything without multimedia - here you go:

PinkPistolsSCI - YouTube

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Good for you, sir!

I am not a member of their group nor do I subscribe to their lifestyle - but if they want to join those of us who shoot, more power to them.

And props to you for making it happen.

 

[indiucky]

They asked me because they themselves are not able to be public about membership for a variety of reasons

It's a bit ironic about what folks choose to be embarrassed about...

I think they are a good organization and due to the lifestyle they choose to lead (or were born into, I have met both types) may be in more need of self defense training and techniques than most...Continue to bridge the gap, the second amendment is for everyone and good on you for taking on this task....

I think you will find they are a diverse group that will surprise you with the diversity of thought and opinion.....If you teach them one thing teach them that firearms are nothing to be ashamed of and neither is wanting to have the ability to defend oneselves....

Again...Kudos to you for taking on this task...

IMHO ofcourse and my endorsement of this does not change my stance on marriage being between a man and a woman...

 

[shibumiseeker]

It's a bit ironic about what folks choose to be embarrassed about.

It's not a matter of being embarrassed for many folks, it a matter of people worrying about losing their jobs or kids or professional because there still are a lot of people out there who are in situations where that still happens, even today. It's a real concern, not an embarrassment. It can be difficult for some people to get past the fact that someone is LGBT even when they are not "in your face" about it.

Major kudos to Techres for getting this going. While PP is apolitical other than guns and shooting related activities (it is SOLELY focused on guns, shooting, and shooting sports and by charter chapters are required to not be political outside those areas), it can be very intimidating for someone who is LGBT identified to get into shooting sports or self defense because the atmosphere in most places gun owners gather tend to be somewhat hostile to folks like that. Every single person regardless of political leaning, gender, or orientation who becomes an enthusiastic gun owner and shooter is a win for those of us who care about the Second Amendment.

 

[indiucky]

It's not a matter of being embarrassed for many folks, it a matter of people worrying about losing their jobs or kids or professional because there still are a lot of people out there who are in situations where that still happens, even today. It's a real concern, not an embarrassment.

I must not have understood....I thought they were concerned about what their friends/associates would think about them taking training and belonging to a group that promotes self defense and proper firearm use...Being as how it was Bloomington I thought they were fearing repercussions about their firearm interest and how that may play out to a very liberal community........

 

[shibumiseeker]

I must not have understood....I thought they were concerned about what their friends/associates would think about them taking training and belonging to a group that promotes self defense and proper firearm use...Being as how it was Bloomington I thought they were fearing repercussions about their firearm interest and how that may play out to a very liberal community........

Bloomington is not that different than the rest of the state when it comes to attitudes on firearm ownership.

 

[indiucky]

Bloomington is not that different than the rest of the state when it comes to attitudes on firearm ownership.

I thought it was the Bloomington newspaper that posted the names and addresses LTCH holders in Indiana....My bad...I am sure Bloomington is a Bastion of 2nd Amendment advocacy.....

 

[shibumiseeker]

I thought it was the Bloomington newspaper that posted the names and addresses LTCH holders in Indiana....My bad...I am sure Bloomington is a Bastion of 2nd Amendment advocacy.....

Your sarcasm is noted, but while there are some entrenched institutions in Bloomington like the HT that are vehemently anti-gun, it doesn't represent the residents as a whole so unless your goal is simply to bash the town, I'm not sure where you are going with this. I was born and raised there and now live one county over and note virtually no difference in how the average person views gun ownership. Just because there are a few loudmouths in town doesn't mean the whole community is like that anymore than Shannon Watts speaks for all of Zionsville or Indianapolis.

There IS, however, a larger percentage of openly LGBT folks in Bloomington and those folks would be well served to have a welcoming environment to learn about guns and shooting and to connect with other gun owners who don't care what their orientation may be.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Good move Tech!

 

[indiucky]

Your sarcasm is noted, but while there are some entrenched institutions in Bloomington like the HT that are vehemently anti-gun, it doesn't represent the residents as a whole so unless your goal is simply to bash the town, I'm not sure where you are going with this. I was born and raised there and now live one county over and note virtually no difference in how the average person views gun ownership. Just because there are a few loudmouths in town doesn't mean the whole community is like that anymore than Shannon Watts speaks for all of Zionsville or Indianapolis.

There IS, however, a larger percentage of openly LGBT folks in Bloomington and those folks would be well served to have a welcoming environment to learn about guns and shooting and to connect with other gun owners who don't care what their orientation may be.

Wow...

My goal in this was that I felt bad because LGBT (it seemed to me) felt that they had to hide the fact that they were going to receive gun training from their peers in Bloomington...I am not bashing Bloomington, I just thought it was sad that folks felt they had to hide their firearm orientaion from their peers. Especially peers from a beautiful, well adjusted, just like very other small town in Indiana that is Bloomington.

Now that you have explained that Bloomington is in fact no different politically (and I trust you on this, no sarcasm now or earlier) when it comes to firearms ownership than any other small town throughout the Midwest we are left to wonder what worried these fine pro second amendment LGBT folks so much about the community that they felt that they needed to hide their firearm orientation from the community?

After reading your comments and the passion in which you addressed them I would say that they should just come out and be open about their Pink Pistols group and use it as a teaching moment to their peers...Kind of like OC'ers use Walmart trips to "educate" folks about Indiana's LTCH....

My goal was not to bash Bloomington (which you obviuosly care very deeply about..as you should...Hometown pride is largely becoming a thing of the past) but to bash an enviroment that would make people feel uncomfortable about their desire to learn more about firearms.....I am still unsure if that is what the OP was talking about when he said they wanted to keep their membership in a Pink Pistols Chapter "Down low" so as to avoid fallout.....I assumed that because Bloomington is a very friendly LGBT enviroment,(I think their is even a chick liking chick flick called "Bloomington" that was filmed there...I know the Indigo Girls were popular back in the late 80's at the Blue Bird..) so I assumed the OP must have been talking about the LGBT being worried about their membership in a Gun organization as opposed to the way they like to bat sexually for their need for discretion...

With that being said,( if that is in fact the case,) I stand by the statement that it is a shame they can not openly admit they like firearms and want some firearms training without being worried about potential fallout from their peers and associates....

 

[techres]

I thought it was the Bloomington newspaper that posted the names and addresses LTCH holders in Indiana....My bad...I am sure Bloomington is a Bastion of 2nd Amendment advocacy.....

I spoke with that reporter before they ran that article. I warned him what would happen. I helped with all the meetings to organize the change in law that was supported by a bi-partisan majority of our state legislature. I was one of many that worked hard to make that happen.

I am from Bloomington.
I warned from Bloomington.
Our meetings were in Bloomington.
Our letters, calls, and more were from here as well.

Our celebrations were in Bloomington.

You'd be surprised how many of us there are. At the same time, yeah, there are plenty who are challenging to reach.

Which is why I do whatever I can to reach them.

 

[techres]

Wow...

With that being said,( if that is in fact the case,) I stand by the statement that it is a shame they can not openly admit they like firearms and want some firearms training without being worried about potential fallout from their peers and associates....

Ah! Yeah, you have that part right.

I have been approached by those who cannot tell others they are gay for fear of losing friends, family and jobs.
I have been approached by those who cannot tell others that they plan to shoot guns for fear of losing friends, family and jobs.

There are definitely an infinite number of closets that people can get trapped in. Doesn't make the closets less real.

I am just here to keep people from being alone in the dark, whatever the source of that darkness is.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Wow...

My goal in this was that I felt bad because LGBT (it seemed to me) felt that they had to hide the fact that they were going to receive gun training from their peers in Bloomington.
...
With that being said,( if that is in fact the case,) I stand by the statement that it is a shame they can not openly admit they like firearms and want some firearms training without being worried about potential fallout from their peers and associates....

Well, given that I know the person to whom Techres is referring and I know their concern is NOT about being outed as a gun owner, but IS about being outed as LGBT on gun groups and is in fact quite open about being a gun owner and shooter in Bloomington, your supposition is wrong.

Regardless, I know plenty of people all over who hide their gun ownership because it's perceived as not socially acceptable. We hear accounts of it from all over the state right here on InGO every day.

Getting back to the original topic though, I've had many queer friends approach me about learning to shoot or buying their first gun who told me flat out that they felt intimidated walking into a gun shop because of either outright bigotry or a feeling of not being welcome. Having a group in the area that can help folks learn and become better advocates of the 2A is a great thing.

 

[indiucky]

Well, given that I know the person to whom Techres is referring and I know their concern is NOT about being outed as a gun owner, but IS about being outed as LGBT on gun groups and is in fact quite open about being a gun owner and shooter in Bloomington, your supposition is wrong.

Regardless, I know plenty of people all over who hide their gun ownership because it's perceived as not socially acceptable. We hear accounts of it from all over the state right here on InGO every day.

Getting back to the original topic though, I've had many queer friends approach me about learning to shoot or buying their first gun who told me flat out that they felt intimidated walking into a gun shop because of either outright bigotry or a feeling of not being welcome. Having a group in the area that can help folks learn and become better advocates of the 2A is a great thing.

I apologise...I read it again and that is where I thought the person's concern was and I thought that was shameful....

One of my favorite posters ( I mean a "poster" like you used to buy at Spencer's with KISS on it...) was a very "Butch" looking young lady wearing an NRA baseball cap, with a rainbow ribbon safety pinned on to it looking very seriously down the sights of her weapon with the phrase "Gay Bash This" at the bottom of the poster....


I can only speak for my shop and my customers but the gay folk that come in here to look at guns are swarmed by my customers offering opinions (you know how us gun shop guys are about offering our opinions) and are treated extra nice...I don't really know why but I think it may have to do with what you are talking about in your above post...Maybe we are over compensating for what we worry they may have experienced elsewhere or perhaps we feel like we are stealing someone away from the anti-gun side in some kind of fashion and want to be extra nice.....

The point being is that I am a Bible thumping, middle aged, Redneck, and I am (dare I say?) tickled "Pink" to see members of the LGBT community joining the ranks of gun owners and second amendment supporters.....

With that being said it has been mostly Lesbian couples that have come in here....It seems to me that the Females in the LGBT community have been more receptive to the second amendment than the men (but that is totally ancedotal based on one small shop close to Louisville)...

I really did think that they were worried about being outed as gun owners in the original post....So apologies for my misundertsanding.....

 

[indiucky]

Techres,

Any help my shop can be in promoting this via brochures, posters, etc.....Just let me know...

Falls City Firearms
141 East Maple Court, Suite 100
Clarksville, IN 47129
812-725-1911

Thanks to you for your work in reaching out and building bridges and I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor and again...Any support I can provide is there for the asking....

 

[Bill of Rights]

Maybe not the poster you mean, but I found this:

I find it reprehensible that members of our community would turn away (or turn away from) someone who would support gun rights for others on the basis of who he or she loves. Do we really have so many friends that we need no more? And if Pink Pistols is a political force among otherwise-liberal groups, just as Techres is reaching out to bridge that gap between "gun guys" and "gay guys", putting us on the same side of the political fence, perhaps they can bridge the gap between "gay guys" and "anti-gun guys" (Not to disparage against "gun-, gay-, or anti-gun gals")

If your preferred partner is a consenting adult, I don't care who you want to go to bed with. If you're pro-gun rights... I can stand alongside you on that issue.

Blessings,
Bill

I apologise...I read it again and that is where I thought the person's concern was and I thought that was shameful....

One of my favorite posters ( I mean a "poster" like you used to buy at Spencer's with KISS on it...) was a very "Butch" looking young lady wearing an NRA baseball cap, with a rainbow ribbon safety pinned on to it looking very seriously down the sights of her weapon with the phrase "Gay Bash This" at the bottom of the poster....


I can only speak for my shop and my customers but the gay folk that come in here to look at guns are swarmed by my customers offering opinions (you know how us gun shop guys are about offering our opinions) and are treated extra nice...I don't really know why but I think it may have to do with what you are talking about in your above post...Maybe we are over compensating for what we worry they may have experienced elsewhere or perhaps we feel like we are stealing someone away from the anti-gun side in some kind of fashion and want to be extra nice.....

The point being is that I am a Bible thumping, middle aged, Redneck, and I am (dare I say?) tickled "Pink" to see members of the LGBT community joining the ranks of gun owners and second amendment supporters.....

With that being said it has been mostly Lesbian couples that have come in here....It seems to me that the Females in the LGBT community have been more receptive to the second amendment than the men (but that is totally ancedotal based on one small shop close to Louisville)...

I really did think that they were worried about being outed as gun owners in the original post....So apologies for my misundertsanding.....

 

[Aszerigan]

Techres - I'm also happy to promote any activities with brochures, posters, cards, etc. Just let me know.

I fully stand with you, personally and professionally, and give you my full support on this endeavor. Thank you, and kudos for stepping up.

 

[Zephri]

As a B member in the LGBT community I've been hoping for a Pink Pistols group to start up here, and lo and behold a few years later one does!

I'm definitely looking forward to participating in the shoots and gatherings as much as possible.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

... Do we really have so many friends that we need no more? And if Pink Pistols is a political force among otherwise-liberal groups, just as Techres is reaching out to bridge that gap between "gun guys" and "gay guys", putting us on the same side of the political fence, perhaps they can bridge the gap between "gay guys" and "anti-gun guys" (Not to disparage against "gun-, gay-, or anti-gun gals")

...

Blessings,
Bill

To BoR's point here - I totally agree. History is full of examples of people of different backgrounds - whom you might not normally think of as allies, working together for a common goal. Further - when ANYONE's natural/God given (depending on your point of view) rights are violated, we ALL lose. We cannot legitimately claim the privilege of rights to self defense, freedom of speech, religion, etc as set forth in the Constitution, if we don't allow all mankind the same rights.

Sure - there are issues that we differ on, sometimes vociferously. But on the right to defend ones self and loved ones from attack? We should all be on the same side.

 

[techres]

Thanks everyone for the support, and especially to the stores that have lined up to lend a hand. It is very kind.

I hope to make up flyers soon and get them out and going.