Lavender Graduation, an event organized by Boro Pride to celebrate LGBTQ+ students graduating this semester, was held last night at the Honey Bowen Building in downtown Statesboro, with an event happening today at the Armstrong campus from 6-8 p.m.
The Lavender Graduation has a 30-year history, which started in 1995 at the University of Michigan by Dr. Ronni Sanlo, a faculty member of the University’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs. She was inspired to organize the event after she was denied attendance at her children’s graduation due to her being a lesbian.
The event was, and still is, meant to celebrate and honor LGBTQ+ students graduating who wouldn’t be accepted or recognized for who they are by their parents or relatives at their traditional graduation ceremony.
“The point of the ceremony is to celebrate the students in their authenticity, and that’s why Boro Pride has always been such a big supporter of Lavender Graduation, because I believe it’s really important for the community to be there for the students as well,” according to Suzanne Shurling, founding director of Boro Pride and one of the organizers for this year’s Lavender Graduation.
Shurling also emphasized that this year’s event should be considered a community event instead of a university event. According to Shurling, the Lavender Graduation has seen record-breaking sign-ups for the event across both campuses. She says this because the event has become less about celebrating LGBTQ+ students at Georgia Southern, but more about celebrating students across Statesboro, including colleges like Ogeechee Tech and East Georgia State.
As a message to those wondering how they can support Lavender Graduation, Shurling said:
“I would say even if you’re not the student graduating, please come out, whether you are LGBT folks, community allies, everyone. It’s so important to come together as a community and it’s a great time every semester. And it’s so important to [the students] when they don’t have family to support them and especially in this time when you know everything around us seems to be trying to erase us and trying to shove us back in the closet. Show these kids that they’re supported and they’re loved.”
