A few years ago I had the privilege of interviewing Reverend Troy Perry, one of three original founding members of America’s first ever street-closing gay pride parade in Los Angeles. I remember him speaking to me in his delicate, kind southern accent and explaining that he lived in Hollywood, so of course he was going to have a parade. Back in 1970, it wasn’t the celebration that Pride is today–he received more than a modest share of death threats, and faced what could have been an insurmountable amount of hurdles. But he kept at it, year after year, and it caught on, spreading from city to city across the country. Today that momentum hit a tipping point with the Supreme Court’s decision that gay marriage is a legal right. What a proud day.

Three years ago, when Prop 8 and DOMA were serious sources of frustration and heartbreak for many in California, Reverend Perry was remarkably collected and confident. He said, “Even if the Supreme Court does not rule in our favor, we have already won.” It’s thanks to this kind of remarkable resilience and unflagging optimism from Perry and countless others in the LGBTQ community that the Supreme Court made its momentous decision today.

I thought it appropriate to dedicate Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” to the LGBTQ community’s incredible triumph today. Today, this song resonates more than it ever has, and I can so easily imagine Freddie Mercury singing through tears of joy.