VTSUnity Castleton Lavender Graduation

Lavender Graduation (Lav Grad) is a national tradition created in 1995 by Dr. Ronni Sanlo, a Jewish Lesbian, who was denied the opportunity to attend the graduations of her biological children because of her sexual orientation. The first Lavender Graduation ceremony was held at the University of Michigan with three graduates. By 2001, there were over 45 Lav Grad ceremonies at Colleges and Universities nationwide.

Events like Lavender Graduation provide a sense of community for marginalized students who often are navigating discomfort throughout their higher education experiences. For many students they are the payoff for staying in school and getting themselves to the finish line at graduation. Through such recognition, LGBTQ+ students may leave their university with a positive last experience.  Not only to share their hopes and dreams with each other, but where their unique LGBTQ+ experiences are officially recognized and celebrated. This ceremony is a cultural celebration that recognizes LGBTQ+ students of all races and ethnicities and acknowledges their leadership, success, achievements, and contributions to the university. 

Lavender is important to LGBTQ+ history. It’s a combination of the pink triangle that gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps and the black triangle designating lesbians as political prisoners in Nazi Germany. The LGBTQ+ civil rights movement took these symbols of hatred and combined them to make symbols and color of pride and community. *This information above is from the HRC Foundation Website: Link to Page