“My experiences as a minority gun owner initially started pretty nervous,” he says. “I was very intimidated initially because I had the stereotypes in my head that guns were the white, male Republican thing to have.” He says he now feels fully accepted by the gun community. “All gun owners just want to share their passion. That’s really all it is.”

Among his more liberal or vegan friends, Subramanian still feels like the minority. “I do not mention guns around them at all. I have before once or twice, and it’s usually ended with me being looked down upon for owning guns.”

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“A gun is the ultimate equalizer,” he says. Though he does not feel particularly targeted for being a minority, he mentioned self defense as a motivation to own guns for everyone, including more marginalized groups. “Minorities, LGBTQ, women, and all of those fringe communities you’re talking about can really benefit from firearms because they’re communities where, when they are attacked, no one’s going in there with a fair fight.”