Introduction <p>Although gun ownership research has derived a general profile of gun owners, this work has generally overlooked the role of sexuality, specifically the mechanisms through which sexuality may shape gun ownership. This is particularly important given that sexuality has been shown to impact key predictors of gun ownership.</p> Methods <p>Employing data from the 2020 Congressional Election Study, we utilize a series of multi-variable and mediation models to examine the direct and indirect effects of sexuality on gun ownership.</p> Results <p>The results demonstrate that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other (LGB +) individuals are less likely to report owning a gun; however, this relationship is heavily attenuated, yet still statistically significant, after accounting for key gun ownership correlates. Attitudes towards marginalized groups (e.g., racial resentment, immigrant resentment) explain the largest proportion of the sexuality-gun ownership nexus followed by political dynamics then victimization.</p> Conclusion <p>As the politics surrounding guns and LGBTQ + issues grow more contentious, this research demonstrates how sexual politics shapes gun ownership. These results demonstrate the importance of examining and expanding formative theories to better understand how they operate outside of the gun owner archetype.</p> Policy Implications <p>As anti-LGBTQ + policies continue to be introduced and passed at record levels in the USA, understanding gun ownership among sexual minorities will help anticipate issues that may arise for given the elevated risk of physical harm from owning a gun despite guns providing a sense of personal safety in tumultuous times.</p>