The traditions of Lavender Celebration began in 1995 at the University of Michigan as a cultural celebration for LGBTQ+ students of all races and ethnicities in order to acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the university. This celebration of the culmination of a student's academic career is important to honor in the context of their identity; Lavender Graduation recognizes students with their affirming names, the correct pronouns, and celebrates the fullness of who they are.
OU hosted its first Lavender Celebration in 2019, marking an important milestone for LGBTQIA+ students and allies. Since then, the event has grown, welcoming over 500 attendees for the past 5 years and providing a meaningful space for the university community to come together in support of LGBTQIA+ students as they celebrate their achievements and contributions.
REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SPRING 2025
Date: May 4, 2025 Time: 3 - 5 PM
Location: Beaird Lounge, OMU (2nd floor)
*details subject to change*
Dr. Meg Sibbett (she/her)
Assistant Professor
Women's and Gender Studies Department
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Dr. Megan Sibbett's scholarly work spans queer and trans feminist theory, LGBTQ studies, and children’s cultures. She focuses on queer storytelling as a strategy to counter administrative and everyday violence, and on monstrosity in popular culture as a trope for state terror and securitization. Another branch examines LGBTQ activism’s use of disgust and visceral imagery to evoke compassion and action. In 2019, she received the Regents Award for Superior Teaching and the Jill Irvine Leadership Award. She helped establish OU’s LGBTQ minor, creating courses for it, and currently explores the queer imagination within childhood and children’s cultures in her teaching and research.
Rep. Mauree Turner (they/them)
Representative for Oklahoma
88th House District
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Rep. Turner is a proud American-Muslim and community organizer from Oklahoma, dedicated to protecting civil rights and liberties for all. They serve as the Representative for Oklahoma’s House District 88, making history as the state’s first Muslim legislator and the first openly non-binary elected official in the U.S. Previously, Mauree directed Oklahoma’s Campaign for Smart Justice with the ACLU, focusing on criminal justice reform. Their work with groups like NAACP Oklahoma, CAIR Oklahoma, and Freedom Oklahoma reflects a commitment to reimagine the justice system, championing legislation for accurate documentation and alternative approaches to incarceration that support community liberation.
Dr. Erin Simpson (she/her)
Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs
and Assistant Dean of Students
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Dr. Erin Simpson serves as Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Assistant Dean of Students. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of the Gender + Equality Center, where she worked to cultivate an affirming, educational, and diverse community by focusing on LGBTQ+ inclusion, interpersonal violence prevention, and advocacy for victims of gender-based violence. She spends her professional energy on centering students, faculty, and staff who have been forced to exist within the margins of higher education. Throughout her career, she gets to work in multiple functional areas within the field of higher education, including campus activities and housing and residence life. In all of these areas, Dr. Simpson continues to work toward advancing justice-oriented higher education for public good.
Dr. Jenny Sperling (she/they)
Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
_____________________
Dr. Jenny Sperling is an assistant professor of critical studies in education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Their research explores sexuality and health education in various contexts, focusing recently on young college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in inclusive postsecondary programs. Jenny’s work also examines K-12 educational practices and their impacts on 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, employing critical ethnographic and intersectional qualitative methods, with an emphasis on care-centered, community-focused collaborations. In addition to her faculty role, Dr. Sperling serves as a faculty mentor in the Provost’s Distinguished First-Year Student Mentoring Program, currently working with a section of 2SLGBTQIA+ First-Year students.
Graduating from OU doesn’t mean saying goodbye to the community that shaped our students. The OU LGBTQ+ Alumni Society maintains lifelong connections between LGBTQ+ alumni and the broader OU community while actively supporting current students with scholarships, internships, and personal and professional development opportunities. Committed to building a strong network, the society empowers graduates to stay involved and give back to OU meaningfully.
At each Lavender Celebration, an OU LGBTQ+ Alumni Society representative welcomes new graduates into the Alumni Society, presenting them with official LGBTQ+ Alumni Pins and information on joining. As alumni, they advance community impact and champion positive change within the institution, continuing their legacy of advocacy and support.
The Lavender Celebration of Graduates is packed with engaging and inclusive activities designed to bring people together in a welcoming and celebratory atmosphere. Highlights of the event include:
Enjoy a delicious variety of food and refreshments that cater to different tastes, giving everyone a chance to mingle and celebrate together.
Graduates receive their official LGBTQ+ Alumni Pins and cords, symbols of their achievements and lifelong connection to the OU LGBTQ+ community.
A chosen graduating student leader will share personal reflections, experiences, and hopes for the future, capturing the spirit of Lavender Celebration.
An inspiring keynote speaker will share wisdom, stories, and insights on LGBTQ+ journeys, resilience, and making an impact in the world.
Take memorable photos at our dedicated stations, where graduates and friends can commemorate this special day with pride.
Join a joyful gathering where friends, family, and alumni come together to honor the achievement of our graduates.
