As Universities Cancel Lavender Graduations, Reflecting on Michigan Pioneer Ronni Sanlo's Founding of Beloved Tradition
Hard-won LGBTQ+ graduation ceremonies face elimination amid federal DEI crackdowns
In recent weeks, several universities across the United States have abruptly canceled their Lavender Graduation ceremonies, leaving LGBTQ+ students without these meaningful celebrations of their achievements. The cancellations come amid a sweeping crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at universities that rely on federal funding. The timing is particularly poignant as we recently spoke with Dr. Ronni Sanlo about her pioneering work in creating the first Lavender Graduation at the University of Michigan in 1995, a milestone achievement that has since spread to hundreds of campuses nationwide. Sanlo created the event after personally experiencing discrimination that prevented her from attending her own children's graduations due to her sexual orientation.
Our conversation with Sanlo offered a timely reminder of the tradition's significance as institutions are now rolling back these inclusive ceremonies under political pressure. Notably, the University of Michigan, where this tradition began, proudly continued the ceremony this year, marking a stark contrast to the wave of cancellations elsewhere.
"When I created Lavender Graduation at Michigan, I never imagined it would spread to so many schools across the country," Sanlo told Pride Source. "It was about giving LGBTQ students the celebration and recognition they deserved — the same recognition I was denied as a parent."
UM did hold a Lavender Graduation in 2025 and posted to Facebook about the occasion, writing, “Lavender Graduation celebrates and honors LGBTQIA2S+ graduates and allies of all genders and sexualities at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Established by Ronni Sanlo in 1995, the inaugural Lavender Graduation at the University of Michigan was the first graduation celebration of its kind anywhere. Since then, it has inspired over 500 other schools to do the same. The 31st annual gathering — at the Michigan League on April 16, 2025 — celebrated six awardees and over 200 Lavender Graduates."
The University of Louisville cancelled its Lavender Graduation less than 24 hours before the scheduled ceremony on April 21. The university cited state and federal directives regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs as the reason for the cancellation. According to a statement from John Karman, UofL's Interim VP of Communications and Marketing, the decision followed Kentucky's new anti-DEI policies.
Byron Terry, director of the LGBT Center at UofL, expressed devastation over the cancellation. "It's going to be even more difficult to create space for students who may have never been heard before or seen before," Terry told student paper The Louisville Cardinal.
Similarly, the University of Kentucky canceled its Lavender Graduation and two other ceremonies specifically for Black and first-generation students earlier this month. University leaders pointed to the state ban on DEI programs, as well as similar actions by the Trump administration at the federal level.
These cancellations stand in stark contrast to the University of Michigan, which has maintained its commitment to the event despite the political climate. UM's continuation of the tradition — celebrating more than 200 graduates this year — highlights the divide forming between institutions willing to preserve these spaces and those yielding to external pressures.
In our interview, Sanlo reflected on the ceremony's origins: "That first ceremony at Michigan had just three graduates. We invited their families, faculty and staff who supported them. It was small but incredibly meaningful. When I see how it's grown, not just at Michigan but across the country, it reminds me why we fought so hard."
Dr. Ronni Sanlo's vision for this tradition grew from profound personal experience. After coming out as a lesbian at age 31, Sanlo lost custody of her young children. The discrimination she faced as a mother and LGBTQ person fueled her drive to become involved in activism and LGBTQ politics
In 1994, Sanlo was hired by the University of Michigan to direct the Lesbian and Gay Men's Programs office. Shortly after arriving, she successfully advocated to add "Bisexual" to the office name, and later, "Transgender" as well.
"These ceremonies are about visibility," Sanlo emphasized in our conversation. "For many students, especially those from less accepting backgrounds, it might be the first time they're celebrated authentically for who they are. That moment can be transformative."
These cancellations represent more than just the loss of a ceremony — they signal the broader rollback of LGBTQ+ visibility and support on campuses nationwide. As political pressures mount against DEI initiatives, the future of these meaningful traditions remains uncertain.
For many LGBTQ+ students and allies, the elimination of Lavender Graduations feels like losing a hard-won space for recognition and celebration — one that Dr. Sanlo and countless others worked for decades to establish. The University of Michigan's decision to maintain the tradition in 2025, celebrating its 31st consecutive ceremony, serves as a powerful reminder of the ceremony's origins and ongoing significance.
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