More than half of LGBT adults in California worry about being a victim of gun violence

As today marks the eighth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, UCLA researchers are sharing new data that illustrates risks and perceptions regarding gun violence among LGBT populations here in California.

While gun violence is most often associated with mass shootings, it is a broader phenomenon that includes any instances of firearm-related injury or death such as suicides and homicides.

Researchers from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research (CHPR) and the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute examined pooled data from the 2021 and 2022 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).

Among their findings, more LGBT people in California are worried about being a victim of gun violence than their non-LGBT counterparts (54.6% vs. 44.5%, respectively).

An infographic, which precedes the release of a related policy brief later this year, also shows a larger proportion of Asian, Black or African American, Latinx, and multi-racial LGBT adults are worried about being a victim of gun violence than their white, non-Hispanic peers:

• Asians: 71%
• Two or more races: 64.2%
• Latinx: 59.5%
• Black or African American: 57.4%
• White (non-Hispanic): 45.6%

According to the new findings, a slightly smaller proportion of LGBT adults (14.4% or 412,000 people) than non-LGBT adults (18.0% or 473,500 people) have a gun in their household. Among people who had a gun in the household, similar proportions of LGBT adults (7.6%) and non-LGBT (7.9%) adults reported that a gun in their household is unlocked and loaded.

Join UCLA CHPR and the Williams Institute on Thursday, June 13, as we share findings from the survey, and bring together a panel of experts and advocates from across the country to discuss vulnerabilities and how to promote safety and well-being for LGBTQ people. Register for the webinar.