Below is a list of annual events and celebrations that are coordinated by the Spectrum Center, along with common observances and celebrations.
EVENTS
Signature events
Pride Outside
Welcome Week
A major part of Welcome to Michigan, Pride Outside is an annual LGBTQ+ centric welcome event providing a space for new and returning students to celebrate the beginning of fall semester with resource tables, lawn games, a drag show, t-shirt giveaways, and more. With partners from oSTEM, Michigan Engineering, and Central Student Government, this event is one of Spectrum Center’s largest and sets a positive, energetic, and community tone for the academic year.
Student welcome events
September
Alongside our major Welcome to Michigan event, Pride Outside, the Spectrum Center also hosts a number of smaller welcome events in September for specific student populations. The exact format of these events changes year to year, but each one is meant to allow new and returning students to meet and socialize in a more relaxed environment and connect based on shared identity. Currently, we host a graduate student mixer and a QTBIPOC student welcome.
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.
Transgender Awareness Month
November
Transgender Awareness Month is a monthlong recognition of transgender communities and people through education and advocacy activities.
Name Change Clinic
November and March
Spectrum Center, U-M Outlaws, and the Jim Toy Community Center’s outreach team to host name change clinics, which are workshops aimed at demystifying the process of getting one’s name changed in the state of Michigan. Two 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.
Trans Passport Clinic
Winter semester
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.
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 students are still present on campus. Spectrum Center hosts a plethora of events to uplift the voices and experiences of our LGBTQIA2S+ community.
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.
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.
Stay connected through Spectrum Center Digest
Get updates on upcoming events, Spectrum Center news, funding and engagement opportunities, and more!
Observances and celebrations
For decades, LGBTQIA2S+ communities have been celebrating and highlighting specific communities and the topics important to us through annual observances and celebrations. Here, we list special dates that we often recognize through events.
Although these celebrations are recognized nationally and internationally on specific dates, our community is encouraged to engage with these communities throughout the entire year to learn more about the traditions, beliefs, histories and experiences of our LGBTQIA2S+ friends, colleagues, peers, and educators.
We recognize that this is not an exhaustive list as these celebrations may change over time and be customized to fit the needs of the U-M community. If there is an observance you’d like to see the Spectrum Center commemorate, reach out to us at [email protected]!
- Bi / Pan / Fluid Visibility Day (September 23)
- LGBTQ+ History Month (October)
- National Coming Out Day (October 11)
- International Pronouns Day (3rd Wednesday in October)
- Asexual Awareness Week (3rd week in October)
- Intersex Awareness Day (October 26)
- Trans Awareness Month (November)
- Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20th)
- World AIDS Day (December 1)
- Aromantic Awareness Week (week after Valentine’s Day)
- International Trans Day of Visibility (March 31)
- Lesbian Visibility Day (April 26)
- Pride Month (June)
- LGBT Equality Day (June 26)