Last weekend's OutFest celebration in the gayborhood was relatively calm. Last year, 11 arrests were made when the evangelical anti-gay protester, Michael Marcavage, and his organization, Repent America, disrupted the festivities. Though the charges were eventually dismissed by a Common Pleas Court judge, OutFest organizers were concerned about a repeat performance. This year, Marcavage and company had little or no effect and were ignored by most who attended.

"Those stupid Repent America people are a joke," said Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal, whose paper during the event received the '05 Gilbert Baker National OutProud Award for 30 years of service to the community. "I pity them."

Partying began Saturday night with the annual Indigo Ball, held at the Philadelphia Zoo.

"Personally, I made friends with one of the zoo's chinchillas in the petting section of the reptile house during the VIP reception," said

, executive director of the Philadelphia Film Society.

The black-tie ball was a fundraiser for the William Way Community Center (WWCC), a nonprofit that supports the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community through education, cultural activities and advocacy.

Tickets to the ball were sold out and, despite the torrential rain, the event was well-attended. Revelers were also celebrating that the center's $274,000 mortgage was paid off last summer by local businessman

.

"The ball proceeds will help fund education and recreational classes," said WWCC Executive Director

. "It will also be used towards our operating costs — 26,000 feet of space is a lot to heat in the winter."

While the LGBT community is thriving in many ways, there are ongoing difficulties. In the gayborhood, an already considerable crime problem is getting worse. Almost every night, a very large group of youths hang on the corner of 13th and Locust streets until the early hours of the morning. Since they are underage, they can't go into the bars, but because they are gay, they like to be part of the scene.

, who owns six nightclubs — Bump and Pure are in the neighborhood — said the problem is not the kids on the corner, per se, but the criminals they attract.

"What happens is that others come down here who don't live around here and sell drugs and/or follow customers out of the bars and jump them for money," he said.

Weiss, a member of the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission and a LGBT liaison with the Police Department, said he has had many meetings with 6th District Police Captain

about the problem.

"Many of those that have been assaulted don't report what happened and if there were enough crime reports, there would be more police here," said Weiss.

Korn said the department is aware of the problem and that more officers could be assigned to the area if more crimes were reported. Korn did say that the police can't arrest someone for standing on the corner, unless it's obstruction of highway or if they see illegal activity.

Korn and well-known Mantua activist

participated in two recent anti-drug and anti-crime marches in the gayborhood (another is scheduled for Oct. 20). Korn said these marches were successful and engaged the residents.

Weiss said that the gang on the corner is defiant when asked to move on and that their feeling is that they are being racially targeted, because most are minorities, and that they have the right to stand on a public sidewalk.

"There is no real solution for that," he said.

The transgender community is having special problems with crime.

Prostitutes frequent the Locust Street corridor at night; some male and some transgender.

, a transgender activist, is saying that the police need more training when arresting transgender prostitutes and that the harassment of transgender women still persists.

"The police still continue to profile transgender women," said Padilla, who referred to a complaint made to the Police Advisory Commission by

. A transgender woman, Taylor was pulled over at 29th Street and Allegheny Avenue in 1998 by police on suspicion of driving a stolen car. (She said she was not.) After being arrested and taken to the 35th District, Taylor said she was verbally abused and that an officer held out a package of condoms and told another officer to take her into a cell with another detainee and "see what goes on in the back."

The commission heard the case in 2000 and the officers involved were ultimately found liable. One was suspended without pay and had to write a letter of apology to Taylor. This incident resulted in the Police Department developing a new transgender policy. Korn said that the officers in his district are specifically trained to deal with the gay community, although there is always more room for training.

"Nothing shocks us here," he said.