Gun Violence Prevention Measures

Gun violence prevention covers the laws and advocacy aimed at reducing firearm deaths and injuries, including background checks, red-flag laws, and limits on assault-style weapons. For LGBTQ+ communities the issue became central after the June 12, 2016 shooting at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando, where a gunman killed 49 people and wounded dozens more during Latin Night. It was the deadliest single act of violence against LGBTQ+ people in U.S. history. Research groups like Everytown and Giffords document that bias-motivated crimes against queer and trans people are frequently carried out with firearms. Because of this overlap between anti-LGBTQ+ hate and gun access, many LGBTQ+ organizations now advocate for gun safety alongside civil rights work.