Parody site convinces media that Obama has made a national LGBT holiday

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A website imitating USA Today managed to convince media outlets that Barack Obama declared June 26 ‘National Equality Day’.

Using the URL https://usatoday.com.co/, the fake piece, “President Obama to Declare 6/26/16 National Equality Day,” claimed that the President confirmed in an interview with Marc Maron that he would push Congress to make the holiday a national celebration.

The article duped outlets including Out.com, and featured a series of quotes. Obama supposedly said: “I can’t think of anything more deserving of a national holiday than the fight for equality.

“Our nation was founded on a bedrock principle that we are all created equal.

“I will be urging congress to honor the LGBT community with a federal holiday, until then I will issue by executive order declaring June 26th, 2016 National Equality Day.”

However, the entire interview was manufactured.

The date of June 26 has seen several LGBT breakthroughs at the Supreme Court.

The Court struck down sodomy laws on the date in 2003, and in 2013, the most powerful portions from the Defense of Marriage Act were also struck down on the same day by the same court.

Finally, in 2015, June 26 saw the legalisation of same-sex marriage nationwide, thanks again to the Supreme Court.

Marc Maron is known for his podcast series, “WTF with Marc Maron” – and did actually feature President Obama in his 613th episode, on June 22nd – but the President did not call for such a holiday.

A letter to President Obama and 16 other political entities on https://www.change.org/ was created to make the holiday an actual event- but so far only 201 supporters have backed it.

The President already releases a Presidential Proclamation for Pride Month in June, and holds an annual White house reception – but has not declared a specific national holiday.

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