Equal rights activists hit the Mall on National Coming Out Day this year, assembling for the first-ever National Equality March.

March organizers Equality Across America to demand equal civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people across the nation.  They also set up a shop with cool National Equality March T-shirts and gear so activists could sport their support for a good cause.

The march followed a Human Rights Campaign dinner that included remarks from President Obama, who promised to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and voiced general support for the gay equal rights movement.  More specific issues of timelines and legal actions weren’t covered, but the ever-arresting Lady Gaga (who had the night before performed at the HRC dinner) made sure that the President knew that the finer points needed to be addressed by saying, “Obama, I know you are listening… We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality.”