List of signature events and annual observances

Pride Outside and welcome events

Welcome Week and early September

Pride Outside is an annual LGBTQIA2S+ welcome event and one of our largest gatherings of the year. New and returning students are invited to celebrate the beginning of fall semester with resource tables, lawn games, a drag show, t-shirt giveaways, and more. Pride Outside is an anchor event of U-M welcome programming.

We also host smaller, more personal welcome events, bringing together new and returning students to meet and socialize in a relaxed environment and connect based on shared identity. See our upcoming events for more information about our QTBIPOC Welcome and LGBTQIA2S+ Graduate Student Mixer.

QTBIPOC Kickbacks

Fall and winter semesters

Previously known as Togetherness: QTBIPOC Gatherings. Spectrum Center and the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA) open up the wall in our shared space for community and meals, centering students who are queer and trans Black, indigenous, and people of color. Drop in, grab food, and hang out! This event is open to all U-M students.

LGBT History Month

October

October is LGBT History Month—an annual observance of the histories, cultures, and contributions of LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Spectrum Center recognizes LGBT History Month through a variety of educational and social events and opportunities. 

Find LGBT History Month events.

Transgender Awareness Month

November

Transgender Awareness Month is a monthlong recognition of transgender communities and people through education and advocacy activities.

Find Trans Awareness Month events.

Trans Passport Clinic

November

Spectrum Center partners with the School of Social Work Office of Global Activities to help make getting and changing a passport easier! Representatives from the Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office are brought onto campus to expedite the process of applying for a new passport or getting your legal name or gender marker change on an existing one. Full instructions, including what is required to apply for a passport, are provided as part of registration for the event.

Name Change Clinic

Winter semester

Spectrum Center, U-M Outlaws, and the Jim Toy Community Center host workshops aimed at demystifying the process of getting your name changed in the state of Michigan. Two name change clinics are typically put on every year—one covering the basics in November and a larger one going through the process and offering in-person help with filling out forms and getting solutions to your unique situation in March. Name change clinics are open to anyone in the state of Michigan looking to change their legal name, though some information will be specific to Washtenaw County.

U-M Pride Month

April

While Pride Month is nationally recognized during the month of June, the University of Michigan community celebrates pride during April while most students are still on campus. During this month, Spectrum Center and units across campus host events to uplift the voices and experiences of our LGBTQIA2S+ community. 

Find U-M Pride Month events.

Lavender Graduation

April

Also known as “LavGrad,” Lavender Graduation is a celebration to honor LGBTQIA2S+ graduates of the University of Michigan. Graduates are recognized for their contributions to the community and their achievements as students through a ceremony and free LGBTQIA2S+ themed regalia. 

Learn more.

Pride Prom

April

The annual dance, held by the Spectrum Center and Spectrum Center Programming Board, includes a different theme each year. The night is filled with lots of dancing, music, socializing and more! Whether it’s making up for missed opportunities in high school or creating a new space with new friends, Pride Prom is an opportunity for queer and trans students to celebrate in a way that feels authentic to themselves.