Equality Forum: SundayOUT

You might think that, after my unpleasant experience attempting to volunteer for the Equality Forum last Friday, I'd be done with the event entirely. However, on Sunday I dropped by their "SundayOUT" festival. For at least the second year in a row, they held it outside of the Gayborhood, taking it to the Piazza in Northern Liberties. Admission was $10.00 and, to be honest, it wasn't worth it. Let me quote one of my Twitter pals, @gregs, who got there after I left and tweeted this: "Sunday out? more like sunday yawn. Overpriced drinks & food, lack of vendors and orgs."

This should give you an idea of the scope of this: when I took this photo I was sitting on the concrete steps at the foot of the stage.

The tables were lined up in three or four rows. Some were from organizations, others were vendors selling t-shirts, jewelry, etc., but there wasn't much on sale that remotely interested me. There were no food stands at all, save one or two restaurants and a table with someone selling cupcakes. No junk food at all or even a stand selling bottles of soda (although there were two stands for high-priced beer and some mixed drinks). My theory is that the facility's management wanted people to eat and drink at the restaurants located there and thus restricted the types of vendors allowed.

To the quote above by my Twitter pal, I would add "a lack of entertainment."
SundayOUT started at noon. I got there just before 1 pm and was there until not quite 3 pm -- which was when, finally, the first performer was scheduled to take the stage. There was DJ music and the occasional announcement, and that was it. It wasn't very crowded, so there just wasn't that lively atmosphere that normally exists at, say, Outfest, or June's Pride Parade and Festival at Penn's Landing (both of which are run by a different group of organizers).


Just before I left, two special guests took the stage to speak: Lt. Dan Choi (below, right) and Daniel Hernandez, the aide who saved the life of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Both had been honored the night before at a dinner.

And now, an ethical question: I know he's a gay icon and all, so was it wrong of me to take this picture of Dan Choi because I think he has a nice butt? (It would have shown up better in the picture if he wore white pants...I'm just saying...)

EDIT TO ADD: Here's some crappy video I took while walking around!