FACE OF PRIDE (formerly The SUN)

I dressed for rain because that has been the pattern most every day now, but the clouds blew away about an hour after the event began.

A small picnic actually became a big crowd. I would guess there were 200... maybe more. It was definitely a success.

The young girl who talks to me online didn't go out because she had hurt her knee. 

The young man who isn't out to his folks yet told me that he was there for a very short while but he left after about 30 minutes because it was too much for him.

He also told me that he was thinking about getting involved in a youth group two counties south of here.  That's something... but we need something here.

It is easier to be gay in America than it ever has been before, but it is still hard and it is still dangerous.

There were maybe 20 to 30 booths of vendors... churches, artists, PFLAG, the health department, the two bars the community supports, the St. Lucie County Democrats, and area services and businesses.  And the event was backed by Busch and Tropicana.

Tropicana is progressive in its employment policies.  They even had a chart on the beverage booth about how much time and energy a closeted worker expends in the act of hiding.  If all the world would see that....

My friend Carlos was there and we hung out together, watching the performers, checking the booths... (I tried to stay in the shade but my face is cooked.) Then we went to supper together and hit both of the bars.  There was a lot going on.

I saw the young ladies that have coupled since I introduced them to each other.  And my friends Paige and Ruthann were working the Tropicana booth.  There were several little cliques of youngsters there, too. 

I kept moving into the available shade... but my face is painfully burnt.

It was a great day for the gay.