Launch of the Rainbow

Martlet birds flying over a rainbow with the McGill logo"Launch of the Rainbow" is McGill University's annual Lavender Graduation. All 2SLGBTQIA+ graduating students, including undergraduate students, graduate students, and School of Continuing Studies students, are invited to attend this event with friends and families. 2SLGBTQIA+ academics and staff are also welcome. Ally professors, librarians, university administrators, university staff, and students can attend and show their support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ graduating students as they launch into the next chapter of their lives.

Click here to read about McGill's most recent Lavender Graduation, celebrated in June 2023.

 

About

McGill University's annual lavender graduation, titled "Launch of the Rainbow", honours the achievements and contributions of McGill University’s 2SLGBTQIA+ students. The acronym 2SLGBTQIA+ refers to Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual peoples, as well as those who identify as pansexual, questioning, non-binary, and other gender and sexual minorities.

Recognizing the importance of intersectionality, the Subcommittee on Queer People is committed to an organizing process and event that foregrounds the voices and experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ people who are most marginalized, both in society and within 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, including 2SLGBTQIA+ people who are racialized, Indigenous, Black, trans, women, non-binary, and persons with disabilities. 

The purpose of Launch of the Rainbow is to: 

  • Celebrate the achievements of graduating 2SLGBTQIA+ students
  • Empower historically marginalized populations
  • Reinforce the idea of community at McGill before leaving McGill
  • Highlight the work that Academics and Staff that have contributed to the support and advancement of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on and beyond campus
  • Highlight research conducted at McGill on 2SLGBTQIA+ topics and issues
  • Raise awareness to 2SLGBTQIA+ issues on campus or in the greater community

 

History

The concept of an 2SLGBTQIA+ graduation, referred to as a Lavender Graduation or Rainbow Graduation, was implemented in 1995 by the then-director of the University of Michigan's LGBT Campus Resource Center, Dr. Ronni Sanlo. The Human Rights Campaign maintains a list of 166 universities in the United States of America that offer a Lavender Graduation to its 2SLGBTQIA+ students.

The 1st annual Launch of the Rainbow was held on June 5, 2018. This was the first-ever Lavender Graduation outside of the United States, and the first-ever Lavender Graduation held in Canada. Here are some links to some of the media publicity capturing this historic event:

 
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