Will June 26 be officially designated "Gay Day"?
Could June 26 someday officially be considered "Gay Day"?
The president had already declared June 2015 LGBT Pride Month, and now, some are proposing a new federal holiday in the wake of Friday's Supreme Court ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. The decision came down on anniversary of two other Supreme Court rulings that proponents of gay equality marked as a victory.
Two years ago, on June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that forbade federal recognition of same-sex unions. That case, United States v. Windsor, kicked off the rapid expansion of same-sex marriage rights in states across the country, beginning a process that culminated in Friday's ruling.
And twelve years ago, on June 26, 2003, the court struck down so-called "sodomy" laws that banned gay sexual activity in Lawrence v. Texas.
While the intentions of the court are difficult to divine, it's possible the decision to release Friday's ruling on the anniversary of those prior rulings was no accident. And now, a number of Twitter users are calling for the establishment of a new national holiday, labeled "Gay Day."
Despite the apparent enthusiasm about the proposal, creating a new national holiday is not an easy process. It requires an act of Congress, which might be difficult to secure with Capitol Hill firmly in Republican control.
Even if Congress created a new holiday, something it's only done four times in the last 100 years, states wouldn't necessarily have to recognize it. According to the Washington Post, only 23 states and the District of Columbia grant workers a day off for Columbus Day, which Congress established in 1968.