In late April, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced that it will be looking to change regulations that may complicate Transgender people’s ability to purchase firearms. According to the ATF website, the agency is proposing to update Form 4473 (a firearms transaction record) to require all applicants to use only their sex marker assigned at birth, even if their legal documentation has been amended.
Section “1140-AA64: Selecting Biological Sex on ATF Forms” on the agency’s “Clarify” webpage states: “ATF is proposing to amend its regulations to clarify that, in response to questions about sex on ATF forms, individuals should select their biological sex. This refers to the individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female and does not include the concept of gender identity. These are clarifying amendments to align ATF’s regulatory forms with the President’s signed Executive Order 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government and do not alter any substantive eligibility criteria.”
Some advocates for both Trans and Second Amendment rights fear these new changes will intimidate Trans people and potentially obfuscate their ability to obtain firearms legally — and that this may set a precedent for further incursions on gun and Trans rights by the federal government in the future.
Arm the Dolls
Nell is the founder of Arm the Dolls, an all Trans-run group dedicated to educating Trans communities across the country about gun rights, ownership, and safety. She told the SGN she created the group last October in response to both the federal administration’s threats to revoke Second Amendment rights for Trans people and the assault of Trans woman Nicki Armstrong in Renton, Washington.
The SGN also spoke with Scarlett, who is also part of Arm the Dolls as well as being as a competitive shooter, an employee at a firearms store, and “someone who grew up around an environment with guns.”
Nell writes the group’s blogs , which address Trans rights and gun laws. Scarlett said Nell recruited her to work on the group’s Guide page, which now lists information for 13 US states, including Washington state.
The group also recently created an Instagram account; Nell said the response has been strong so far. “We’ve gained 700 followers in the past 48 hours,” she reported.
ATF changes
Nell and Scarlett both said that the proposed ATF changes are concerning, but in practice, the effects on Trans people’s rights will most likely depend greatly on state laws and other factors. Scarlett, who helps file 4473 forms as part of her job, said that the proposed changes to the federal gun registry will only affect people who would already show up on a prohibitive background check.
“The system scans through a list of names, date of birth, sex, etc. … It checks to see if you shouldn’t have it,” she said, in reference to whether someone has a criminal, medical, or judicial record that should disqualify them from gun ownership.
Although the ATF requirements wouldn’t necessarily block a Trans person from obtaining a legal firearm, Scarlett noted that they could be a source of fear for some individuals. “If I [a Trans person] have to put my sex assigned at birth, it will deter [Trans] people from owning guns,” she said.
And if a person’s gender marker on their birth certificate and state ID are not the same, “you are already faced with an issue of not wanting to lie on a federal form,” she said.
Nell said these new changes could impact Trans gun owners who live in blue states more than those in red states. Not all states require federal background checks for the purchase of firearms, and “every state handles their gun laws differently,” she said. “If you’re in Arizona and Trans, you’re better off than you would be in California if this happens.”
She also gave the example of Kansas, where concealed carry license practices haven’t accounted for the logistical changes that came with the state’s new anti-Trans ID law.
“We are blessed they are all so incompetent,” she said.
But Nell and Scarlett also pointed out that there is still time to dispute ATF’s notice of proposed rule changes, as there will be opportunity for public comment.
“Even if it were fast tracked, it wouldn’t take place until next year,” Nell said.
Trans gun owners
Scarlett told the SGN that since President Donald Trump’s election, more and more of her Trans friends have come to her wanting to learn how to use a firearm.
“Once a month, I have a friend reach out to me about wanting to learn how to shoot. I’ve had folks genuinely concerned about their well-being,” she said.
She explained that although they often don’t show a liking for guns, they share with her that it now feels like a necessity to learn for their own personal safety.
When the Trump administration made statements last September about seeking to take gun rights away from Trans people, the National Rifle Association spoke out against this idea. Nell said that Second Amendment advocates, like the NRA, acknowledge the danger of allowing the government to discriminate against certain groups.
“The ironic thing I found, personally: when I go into these spaces, not only am I the only POC and a woman — a lot of the time I’m the first Trans person people meet,” she said.
According to Scarlett, in the gun community, a lot of people come together with a shared desire for community bonding. Neighbors are quick to share ammo, tips, and resources and, in her experience, the common ground of loving firearms often overcomes people’s apprehension about her as a Trans woman.
“They’ll see that I’m shooting something cool … and you kind of let the differences melt away,” she said.
She explained that the connection between gun owners often transcends differences. “It’s a thing a lot of people who don’t own guns don’t understand,” she said.
Scarlett also noted that being a gun owner can feel isolating: “You’re looked at funny by the broader population, especially outside of the US.”
Nell told the SGN that Arm the Dolls has received positive responses from cisgender people in the community. For example, she said, “The number one email we get are from certified instructors, who want to offer themselves up as a Queer-friendly resource in the area.”
Trans rights
Nell and Scarlett ended their conversation with the SGN by discussing the importance of Trans civil rights more broadly.
“This is a Trans rights issue first, a gun rights issue second,” Nell said. “We're being targeted because of our identity, not because of firearms policy. The broader Queer community needs to recognize that even if you don’t own a gun, even if you never will, this fight is yours.”
Speaking of Arm the Dolls, she said, “Gun rights haven’t historically been part of mainstream LGBTQ+ advocacy, and that’s why we exist: to bridge that gap, show people why this matters, and build the understanding that our safety is ultimately our own responsibility.”
Scarlett shared a similar sentiment, saying, “There is a lot of radical self-reliance in the Trans community … firearms and self-defense is just another aspect of that.”
Nell also shared her thoughts on how the issue fits into the larger picture: “Yes, this moment is serious, and the threat is real. But panic serves their goals, not ours. The Trans community already has the tools to successfully navigate the path through this. We need more people to wake up and decide they’re going to take the initiative. To build something. To make a concrete, tangible difference. We can’t allow ourselves to be paralyzed by anxiety. John Lewis told us good trouble will redeem the soul of America, but it also feeds the soul of those who walk the path. He also said that freedom isn’t a state, it’s an act. Speaking from experience, it’s worth it.”
“Our message is hope and empowerment, not fear,” she said.
The proposed ATF rule is currently open for public comment on its website https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/06/2026-08932/selecting-biological-sex-on-atf-forms.
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