A World in Pictures--Lucy Whitman Sandmeyer

June 26, 2015 we made a history in a good way. After years of protests, pride parades, and slowly disappearing prejudice, the Supreme Court of the United States made a 5-4 decision to make any laws banning gay marriage officially unconstitutional on the basis of the 14th amendment. A victory long awaited in LGBT communities and with supporters, the SCOTUS decision overturned the gay marriage ban in 13 states (Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Nebraska) and paved the way for a less homophobic future in the US. 

The celebrations were both adorable and inspiring. The San Francisco annual parade was a festival of epic proportions and, as shown above, the white house lit up as the Rainbow Flag, right under the American flag. The significance of this day cannot be understated and this photo demonstrates the support the LGBT community got even on Capitol Hill as millions of supporters across the country came out to applaud those that have come out. 

Still, the issue doesn't end with a brightly lit government building. Instead of deeming their cause done, proponents of LGBT rights continue to fight discrimination in laws as well as everyday life. They face Kim Davis-types citing religion and personal discomfort to personally attack their lifestyles. Yet, the support of the LGBT rights is slowly rising and the prejudices haven't extended to many young people who are largely accepting of people despite their race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. The celebration of the rights of a huge group of people is amazing to see and exciting to experience. Look, the picture just makes you happy.