More gays come out for Trump

Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump enjoys both support from the expected GOP base, and one not so expected: the LGBT community. Following the terrorist attack at Pulse, Trump communicated a message of protecting the LGBT community, rather than one focusing on gun control or trying to steer the discussion away from religion.

FoxNews.com recently spoke with those in the community who are backing Trump.

“I knew I had to fully support Trump because he called out the threat for what it was — radical Islamic terrorism,” Stephen Zieman, 23, said. “He stood up for the LGBT community and called himself a friend. It’s something we all needed and he was there — Hillary was not. She was making excuses for the religion and calling for gun control, which is not what I needed to hear.”

Zieman also communicated his support on Twitter.

Randy Ross has been a Republican for a few years and has “never been scared, not once, to be a gay man that’s openly supporting Donald Trump,” but “could tell that was one of their fears” when it came to others.

He also mentioned the influx of people showing support, which he says has been mostly gay men over the past few days. “[Trump] has never come out and attacked the LGBT community,” he said. “If you want your freedom to come together and to be protected, if you want all those things, he’s the right person to do that because I don’t believe that’s what we’re seeing on the Hillary Clinton side.”

Trump said in a tweet he would protect the LGBT community, and do more for them than Hillary has.

Trump communicates a tough stance on Islam, as do others. Prominent gay Trump supporter Milo Yiannopoulos discussed Islam when he spoke at the site of the attack and in a column for Breitbart. 

The same goes for gun rights. The Pink Pistols, a group which is pro-LGBT and pro-Second Amendment, saw its membership double after the attack.

Mike Smith, a firearms instructor in Colorado Springs, said he has seen a surge of gay people buying firearms. “You walk into a gun shop and you expect to see people, frankly, who look like me. I think we forget we’re a country of all people, not just people who fit that predetermined mold,” he said.

BuzzFeed has no love for Trump but has an entire LGBT section. The idea that some in the community would hold these views is unfathomable to them, however. “How Far-Right Groups Are Using Orlando to Turn LGBT People Against Muslims and Immigrants” is the recent headline for an article, describing international reactions to the attack.

Ross understands that many in the LGBT community will support Democrats. He still believes Trump’s message is getting through, however. “You are starting to see more and more gay people become comfortable with the idea that Trump might be a candidate that they need to pursue,” he said.