Graduation season is already emotional enough. There are tears, awkward family photos, inspirational speeches nobody fully remembers, and at least one person tripping while crossing the stage. But for many LGBTQ+ students this year, there’s another celebration waiting after the official diplomas are handed out: Lavender Graduation.
And honestly? They look significantly more fun.
Across the United States, colleges and universities — including several Catholic institutions — are continuing to host LGBTQ+ graduation celebrations recognizing queer students and their achievements. Known as Lavender Graduations or Lavender Celebrations, the events specifically honor LGBTQIA+ graduates alongside allies, friends, faculty, and chosen family.
The ceremonies often include rainbow stoles, speeches about identity and resilience, community recognition, and in some cases… drag performances.
Which immediately makes them sound more entertaining than the average commencement speech about “following your dreams.”
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Lavender Graduations Continue Expanding
One of the highest-profile examples came after the University of Texas at Austin became embroiled in controversy surrounding diversity initiatives.
Back in 2024, the university’s Multicultural Engagement Center closed in compliance with Senate Bill 17, leading nonprofit alumni organization Texas Exes to announce they would independently continue hosting cultural graduation celebrations for students, according to The Daily Texan.
That included support for LGBTQ+ graduates.
Since then, nonprofit groups, alumni organizations, and universities themselves have continued stepping in to ensure queer students still have spaces where their identities are openly celebrated alongside their academic accomplishments.
And for many graduates, those spaces matter deeply.
Seattle University’s Lavender Celebration Sounds Genuinely Incredible
One school embracing the tradition is Seattle University, which is once again hosting its Lavender Celebration.
In a statement shared on the university’s website, the school described the event as:
“Lavender Celebration is an annual commencement celebration to recognize the achievements of our LGBTQIA+ identifying students who are graduating from undergraduate, graduate, and law school here at Seattle University. We invite all members of our community to come and celebrate the persistence of our students.”
First of all: beautiful.
Second of all: persistence really is the perfect word here. LGBTQ+ students at religious institutions often navigate complicated social environments while balancing identity, faith, academics, and community expectations all at once.
So yes, they absolutely deserve a celebration.
Also — and perhaps most importantly — Seattle University’s Lavender Celebration will reportedly feature a special performance by Sativa the Drag Queen.
That alone may have officially made it the superior graduation ceremony.
Sativa is also scheduled to headline an event later this month called “DICK’S DELUXE DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA,” which is objectively one of the greatest event names ever created.
No offense to traditional graduations, but adding drag queens immediately improves almost any gathering.
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Conservative Critics Are Not Happy About It
Of course, not everyone is celebrating Lavender Graduation season.
The Cardinal Newman Society recently criticized 16 Catholic colleges and universities for either planning to hold or previously holding Lavender Graduation ceremonies.
Among the universities mentioned were Georgetown University, Gonzaga University, Boston College, Fordham University, Marquette University, Loyola Marymount University, Santa Clara University, and several others.
The organization argued that such ceremonies “raise serious concerns” and claimed the events affirm “an identity rooted in disordered sexual desires or confusion about the human person.”
But despite criticism, Lavender Graduations continue growing — largely because students and communities clearly want them.
And honestly, it’s not hard to understand why.
Graduation Should Feel Like Celebration
At their core, Lavender Graduations aren’t replacing official commencement ceremonies. They’re adding something many LGBTQ+ students historically didn’t always receive during their educational journeys: visible affirmation.
For some students, it may be the first time hearing their identity acknowledged positively in an academic setting. For others, it’s simply a chance to celebrate surviving college with people who understand their experiences.
Also, let’s be honest again: if one graduation includes a standard speech about leadership while the other includes queer joy, rainbow stoles, chosen family, emotional community moments, and drag performances… people are probably going to gravitate toward the second option.
Respectfully, Lavender Graduation season might just be the most fabulous part of commencement month.
Combo Celebrations Have Been Around
There also have been other communities that have paired up Lavender Graduations and Pride Celebrations. Here’s a post from a little while back where Birmingham, England Pride celebrated its local graduates. Pride is beautiful.
Have a fabulous time everyone heading to be part of #BirminghamPride today 🌈
If you’re planning to be there we’d love you to join us at our festival stall in the Gay Village. We will be walking in the parade in specially created graduation cap and gowns! #hellobrum pic.twitter.com/ffUTJLd0Fg— Uni of Birmingham (@unibirmingham) May 25, 2019