If you're LGBTQ+, and live in north Georgia or Eastern Alabama (and I feel extra sorry for you if you live in Alabama), Osprey Shooting Solutions in Rome is happy to offer a place to learn. Edgar is one person that I know of that firmly believes that 2A rights are for everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Otherwise, you should be able to find a good place to learn through Operation Blazing Sword or the Pink Pistols. Finding a gun store that isn't loaded with Trump bullshit or Fudd nonsense tends to be a challenge; gun stores in more urban areas, or large chains (Cabelas, etc.) tend to be better than mom-and-pop gun stores in very rural areas. If you're new to shooting, I would suggest going to an indoor shooting range that has rental firearms, and try renting a few different 9mm or .380ACP firearms to try, and see what you like, and what you don't.

Guns are not magical talismans; just having one isn't going to protect you from violent, shitty people. You have to train, and and train regularly. A really good instructor can get you started right so you don't have to unlearn bad habits later. Dry firing will help you turn fundamentals into automatic abilities that you don't need to think about. A shot timer will let you objectively measure how quickly you're moving. Competing (IDPA, USPSA, Gun Run, Brutality matches, 2 Gun Action Challenge, Steel Challenge, 3 Gun, etc.) forces you to demonstrate skill in a stressful environment, which is what you will need to be able to do to defend yourself.