Who We Are
About Us
Pink Pistols CoMo is the mid-Missouri chapter of the national Pink Pistols organization — a peer-to-peer community based in Columbia, MO, focused on self-defense for sexual-minority folks.
Our Mission
We are dedicated to the legal, safe, and responsible use of firearms for self-defense of the sexual-minority community. That’s the whole mission — we keep it narrow on purpose.
The reasoning is simple: a single, clear focus is what has kept Pink Pistols functioning as an all-volunteer organization for more than two decades. We don’t divide our energy across other causes, however worthy they may be. There are excellent organizations doing that work, and we encourage you to support them as your conscience calls.
“We teach queers to shoot, then teach the world that we have done it.”
— Gwendolyn S. Patton, Pink Pistols First Speaker
What we do — and don’t
What we do
- • Meet up to practice safe firearm handling together
- • Welcome beginners and experienced shooters alike
- • Connect members with reputable local instruction and legal resources
- • Make our presence known so bias attackers think twice
What we don’t do
- • Run a training school, sell instruction, or charge dues
- • Maintain a member database or require any forms
- • Take positions on issues outside our single mission
- • Endorse candidates or function as a lobbying group
Our Values
Inclusion
We welcome people of all identities, expressions, and backgrounds within the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Safety First
Safe handling, responsible storage, and continuous learning come before everything else we do.
Force as a last resort
Self-defense is a mindset. Avoid, de-escalate, and leave the situation if you can. Force is the option of last resort.
Personal responsibility
We take individual responsibility for our own safety and our own actions. No one is required to carry. No one is judged for choosing not to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join?
Pink Pistols was founded to serve the sexual-minority community, and that remains our focus. Allies are welcome at gatherings and events. Membership is by self-declaration — there's no application, no vetting, and no form to fill out.
Do I need experience with firearms?
No. Beginners are welcome. Many of our members had never touched a firearm before showing up. Others have been shooting for decades. We learn alongside each other.
What does membership cost?
Nothing. Pink Pistols does not collect dues or maintain a member database — at any level, local or national. You may have your own range fees, ammo costs, and CCW permit costs, but those go to the range and the state, not us.
Are you a training school?
No. We're a peer-to-peer social group, not a training academy or business. If you want certified instruction, we'll happily point you toward local options on our resources page.
Are you affiliated with a political party?
No. Pink Pistols is non-partisan and single-issue. We don't take positions on gay marriage, drug policy, party politics, or any other issue outside of self-defense for the sexual-minority community.
Do I have to attend events to be a member?
No. Many members self-declare without ever attending publicly. Being “out of the gun safe” is a personal decision, and we respect it either way.