Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

The idea had been brewing for a bit, and Moto Hooligan Firearms has come in hot with its first Trans-focused, two-day firearms safety course in Seattle. With increasing legislative and physical attacks against Transgender people at the federal and local levels, they are seeking to empower themselves through learning about Second Amendment rights and putting text into practice. 

“We are empowering our community to safely exercise a right that is effectively restricted from us by gatekeeping knowledge. A right that is often used by those that do us harm, and a right that is taken for granted by people that don’t understand the Trans experience,” an instructor told TtS. 

The instructor said that much of firearm knowledge is passed down through families, particularly conservative family members who are more likely to be gun-owners. But Trans people oftentimes have zero or fractured relationships with family members due to stigma and rejection, making it challenging for them to obtain this knowledge. This leaves them with gun shops, which aren’t always safe due to the political divide on gun ownership, and which are full of right-wing symbolism and people. 

“We are seeking to fix that. Teaching firearms safety as Trans people ourselves, we create an environment where responsible firearms ownership, skill in shooting effectively, and knowledge around how to purchase, what to purchase, and where the safe stores are, is actually accessible to our community,” the Moto Hooligan Firearms instructor said. 

For the first day of the course, attendees learn the legalities of firearms, firearm safety, different types of guns, and a firearm manual. Then comes the second day, range day, which starts with a safety briefing, and range safety officers are assigned to different groups of learners. Throughout the day, the groups learn how to become more confident using a gun, and develop positive habits. Learners then have the opportunity to use different types of firearms to figure out which ones they are most comfortable with handling. 

“It’s really not far off from basic NRA courses taught at every gun range in the country. It’s just safer for our people,” the instructor said. 

While it’s a Trans-focused firearms course, Moto Hooligan Firearms said that everyone is welcome to participate. To do so, contact @SquidTips.69 on Signal. 

Help us keep reporting! Become a monthly donor of $5, $10, or $25 now by scrolling below or at ko-fi.com/throughthestatic. Thank you for your support!