Over the weekend, LGBTQ+ college graduates in Utah came together for a “Lavender Graduation” ceremony after their schools canceled their own long-standing events.

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Lavender Graduations have been held on college and university campuses across the U.S. since 1995, when Dr. Ronni Sanlo held the first event for three students at the University of Michigan. Sanlo, a Jewish lesbian, conceived the ceremony as a way to honor the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ graduates after she was barred from attending her own children’s graduations due to her sexuality.

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Lavender Graduations are similar to many specialized commencement events often initiated by students to celebrate their academic achievements along with their cultural heritage, providing a sense of community for marginalized groups.

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But as Go reports, the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College were among the Utah schools that canceled their Lavender Graduation ceremonies this year in response to a state law targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The law, H.B. 261, took effect last year, restricting Utah schools from incorporating any and all DEI initiatives — it led to the closure of student Pride centers and programs devoted to Black, tribal, and women’s groups.

Following the Lavender Graduation cancellations, however, LGBTQ+ nonprofit Project Rainbow Utah stepped in to host its own ceremony for students from the affected schools, according to Go. The event took place on Saturday, April 26, at the First Baptist Church of Salt Lake City, where graduates received lavender stoles, which have been traditionally distributed at Lavender Graduation ceremonies.

As Project Rainbow Utah’s Leela Henderson told the outlet, “Lavender Graduation is not just a tradition—it’s a lifeline.”

“We couldn’t let these students graduate without being acknowledged for who they are, so we made sure it happened,” Henderson explained. “This is a moment of celebration, not just for their accomplishments, but for their identities.” 

In recent years, DEI efforts have become a prominent target for Republicans across the country. Since taking office in January, the president has made dismantling such initiatives in both the federal government and the private sector a major priority, going so far as to deny federal funding and cancel federal grants for schools over their programs.

As Go notes, Lavender Graduation ceremonies at schools across the country have been the latest thing negatively affected by state laws targeting DEI initiatives.

In Kentucky, the University of Louisville canceled its ceremony, opting instead to offer rainbow cords to all graduates. In Florida, organizers at four state-funded universities renamed their Lavender Graduation ceremonies as “galas,” “celebrations,” and “socials” to comply with the state’s Senate Bill 266, which mandates that “a Florida College System (FCS) institution, state university, or associated support organization may not expend any funds for programs or campus activities that…advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

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