20 Catholic Colleges Plan LGBTQ Lavender Graduations, Some with Drag Shows

Some of the country's most prominent Catholic colleges and universities are holding separate LGBTQ-affirming graduation ceremonies this spring, including one that plans to include a drag performance.

At least 20 colleges or universities associated with the Catholic Church have held or plan to hold these lavender graduation ceremonies and celebrations, separate from the main commencement. The events aim to honor and celebrate the achievements of LGBTQ graduates, according to a review of university websites and social media posts.

The term lavender has described LGBTQ affiliations in the gay community for decades. In Catholic circles, critics have used it in phrases like lavender mafia to refer to alleged homosexual networks within church institutions.

The schools include Georgetown, Gonzaga, the University of San Francisco, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, Fordham, Fairfield University, Marquette, Xavier, Seattle University, Saint Louis University, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara University, St. John's, Albertus Magnus College, St. Mary's College of California, Regis University, Siena Heights University, St. Thomas University and Our Lady of the Lake University.

The ceremonies have drawn criticism from the Cardinal Newman Society, a Catholic watchdog group that pushes schools to uphold traditional church teachings. The society first highlighted several of the lavender ceremonies this year and argues the events promote an ideology at odds with church teaching.

Seattle University plans a Lavender Celebration with a special performance by Sativa the Drag Queen, who later this month headlines an event called DICK'S DELUXE DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA.

The University of San Francisco website says it plans a Queer Prom right after its Lavender Commencement.

Other schools plan special honors, keynote speakers and unique cords or stoles for students to wear with cap and gown. Some events offer food, drinks and activities.

"Although intended as a compassionate gesture to students, the ceremonies reinforce harmful ideologies about sexuality and gender that contradict Catholic teaching," the Cardinal Newman Society said in a news release.

"They potentially lead students into sinful activity and undermine a Catholic college’s claim to teach the truths of the Catholic faith," the group continued. "The Church is clear in its teaching that sexual attraction to persons of the same sex is not itself a sin, but such attractions are 'objectively disordered.'"

Several of the same Catholic universities also advertise separate cultural or identity-based commencement celebrations for non-White students, according to university event pages.