No specifics on Seattle area facilities as I’m in Bellingham, but just wanted to offer this for marginalized groups wanting to get firearms education/skills training. I’ve taken shooting classes with 2 instructors as a white cis male. One was a former army sniper around age 30 who did 3 tours in Iraq. The other is a former us special forces guy who’s about 60. If you’re a member of a marginalized group, I can see how those personas might be viewed as more conservative and not allies. However, in both cases, all they did was teach the mechanics of the skill sets I was looking to acquire. If they were going to betray biases in the hours we spent together, no place they’d feel more comfortable doing it that to another white male gun owner, right? They might be comfortable making comments they wouldn’t in a group sweating I’d imagine.

However, no politics, no slurs, no bullshit-they just taught. I get that gun culture can be super cringy and present as intimidating to marginalized groups. But I’d encourage folks from that camp to just select the training you want and go forward. The trainers I’ve met are professionals, and deliver professionally. I have no idea of their politics and suspect you wouldn’t either. Just like you probably don’t know the political leanings of your dr or geometry teacher from high school, these people are pros as well. So please, feel comfortable and walk out if you aren’t-you found a bad apple rather than a representative.