For USF student Rachel Kandl, this year’s Lavender Gala at USF felt “different.”

Having attended the event twice before, she noticed several changes, including the shift in venue from the Alumni Center to the Marshall Student Center and the renaming of the event.

“Although it’s super sad to see the way queerness is getting shunned, it is still warming to see the community continue to show up for each other,” said Kandl, a senior English and chemistry double major.

Previously known as the Lavender Ceremony, the event was first celebrated at USF in 2018. The ceremony is a nationwide event that recognizes the accomplishments of graduating LGBTQ+ students and allies, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Around 100 people attended this year’s gala at the MSC Ballroom on March 25. 

USF spokesperson Althea Johnson said all attendees had been informed of the event “in advance,” but did not clarify how many people received an invitation.

Related: LGBTQ+ USF students to be celebrated at Lavender Ceremony 

Some USF students said the event’s changes reflect the broader impact of nationwide and state-level restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.  

Johnson said the event’s name was changed to Lavender Gala to “better reflect its purpose,” as it “does not serve” as a graduation ceremony. Johnson said the event itself was not changed or restructured.

Other universities in the state are also hosting their own versions of the gala this year. 

Florida International University’s is scheduled for April 14, Florida State University’s is set for April 18 and the University of Florida’s will be on April 19.

FIU has changed the name of the event from Lavender Graduation to Lavender Social. FSU and UF both refer to the event as Lavender Celebration.

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Madison Murphy, a senior anthropology and world languages and cultures double major, also attended this year’s celebration. She said she thinks the gala wasn’t widely advertised to avoid drawing attention.

“There are so many people on this campus that would wish harm against individuals in the community and the queer community as a whole,” Murphy said. “So, the ceremony is not for any random person to come.”

Murphy said she learned about the event through her role as vice president of P.R.I.D.E Alliance, an LGBTQ+ student organization that helped organize the celebration. 

She said the organizers sent a digital flyer to the organization, which members then shared through the P.R.I.D.E. Alliance Discord server. 

Kandl said efforts to defund DEI programs on the state and federal level could have contributed to this year’s event changes, such as its renaming and about half as many attendees as last year.

Recent DEI cuts include a Jan. 20 executive order that eliminates DEI programs in the federal government and aims to end DEI in the private sector and in public universities.

But Florida had already taken similar steps in previous years.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 266 in 2023, which prohibits universities from spending funds on DEI efforts, according to the Florida Department of Education.

More recently, USF removed online content related to DEI. Johnson said USF’s websites were being updated to comply with state and federal guidelines.

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Murphy said she is scared the event might not happen in the future if it is more widely advertised because of DEI restrictions.

“It’s a frustrating reality of every queer person’s life to know that at some point or another, probably the majority of your life, you’re going to hide,” Murphy said.

Despite her frustration, she said the celebration was “really great.” She also said graduating attendees received a certificate of recognition.

“They make a big arch of rainbow balloons and I didn’t cry but a lot of us did,” Murphy said. “You walk through [the arch] with your friends. It’s a celebration of making it with your friends.”

The evening featured speeches from USF President Rhea Law, representatives of the Committee on Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and students, according to the event’s website.

The committee is a presidential board that advises on issues of sexual orientation affecting faculty, staff and students and monitors environment-related issues.

The USF Alumni Association LGBT Scholarship award and the PRIDE Awards were also given out during the gala. 

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Murphy said the Lavender Gala is not just a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community – it’s about crossing the finish line.

“It’s a way to take a moment and celebrate the fact that we made it,” Murphy said. “We survived.”

As LGBTQ+ community members continue to navigate the current political landscape, Murphy said the “best thing” to do is offer support.

“The best thing we can do for ourselves is support each other, and the Lavender Gala is a wonderful celebration of that,” Murphy said.