June 26 - Our (Unofficial) National Gay Day

Today's date holds a special place in the hearts of LGBTQ people in America.

June 26 is the date on which the Obergefell ruling was handed down from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 making marriage equality the law of the land.

On this same date in 2013, SCOTUS struck down the hateful 'Defense of Marriage Act' in favor of Edie Windsor resulting in all legal marriages being recognized by the federal government.

And on this date in 2003, the high court struck down sodomy laws with their ruling on Lawrence v. Texas.

If there ever is a 'gay national holiday' it truly must be on June 26.

While Donald Trump has continued to ignore the LGBTQ community during Pride Month, Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez issued this statement observing the importance of today's date:

“Before the Supreme Court handed down its decision in U.S. v. Windsor five years ago, Edie Windsor said, ‘I think justice will prevail. Is that crazy?’ Because of her indomitable spirit and the activism of millions of LGBTQ Americans, justice did prevail. Love is love. And America is better for it.

“All across the country, LGBTQ Americans and their allies have organized for equal rights and brought our nation closer to fulfilling its promise of equality for all people – no matter who they are or who they love. Today’s anniversaries remind us that while it may not happen overnight, progress is possible. As long as people raise their voices for what’s right, we can bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice.

“But our fight must continue. LGBTQ Americans still face inequality across our society – from bathrooms and boardrooms to bakeries and the ballot box. Every day, Republicans in Congress, the White House, and at the state and local level are trying to turn back the clock on LGBTQ rights. Even though marriage equality is the law of the land, that hasn’t stopped Republicans from trying to demean and delegitimize LGBTQ marriage through discriminatory adoption bills and so-called ‘religious liberty’ laws.

“The Democratic Party stands with LGBTQ communities in America and around the world. We believe that no one should face discrimination, bullying, or violence because of who they are or who they love. That’s why we’re working to enact legislation like the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ Americans. We believe in the values of inclusion and opportunity for all, and we will never stop fighting for the equality every human being deserves.”

“The march toward LGBTQ equality has been long and hard-fought — and it’s far from over. But some days, we’re reminded of just how far we’ve come. June 26th is one of those days.”