There is no doubt that June 26, 2015 will go down as an historic day for civil rights and equality for all people in America. Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states!

The closing paragraph of the decision, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, pretty much says it all:

No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. …

It is so ordered.

And, presumably after writing this, Kennedy dropped the mic.

via http://notoriousrbg.tumblr.com/

Kennedy was long considered a key swing-vote in this fight. The three female justices — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan — voted in favor of marriage equality.

Chief Justice John Roberts called the ruling “deeply disheartening” and chastised those that would celebrate the Constitution for this win saying, “It had nothing to do with it.” Each of the dissenting justices — including Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito — wrote their own briefs complaining about the fall of civilization and then presumably sat down in a corner to pout.

And then the internet exploded in a rainbow-colored joy the likes of which have never been seen. And it was glorious!

There was Sir Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi glitter-bombing twitter. (A nice round-up, including Neil Patrick Harris and Seth Meyers, at this link.)

Government buildings, monuments, and businesses lighting up rainbows. And this link has a great collection of the many companies, entertainers, TV shows, organizations, and more who are celebrating this victory.

I’m partial to this vine, featuring the