The Governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, has just outed himself as a key member of the Beyhive: this week, he declared May 23, 2016 as officially Beyoncé day in that great state. This was, of course, a desperate plea to get tickets for Dayton and his family: they’ve been upset at him ever since he failed to snag a few when the Queen Bey announced she’d be playing at that city’s TCF Bank Stadium.
Dayton announced Beyoncé Day on Twitter, which is quickly becoming the platform on which all governing bodies issue decrees. He did so in the form of a photograph (scan?) of very official-looking letterhead, on which his justification for the holiday was explained. It comes down to this: Beyoncé has been making dope music since she started with Destiny’s Child, and that dope music has inspired “young women and girls” to do great, dope things. Sexist language aside (uh, Beyoncé has surely inspired many young men and boys, not to mention old ones!), it’s a cute recognition of one of the world’s biggest pop stars as something more than just a cash machine. It’s not so often that state institutions take time to recognize the positive aspect of popular culture’s stars, and it’s even less often that it’s done in a way that’s agreeable to the fans of those stars.
Read the tweet below, mourn the fact that you don’t live in Minnesota, and then bop to Lemonade.