Pride Month is celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States, the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation, the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events.

Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally.

Fullerton College celebrates Pride Month every June with a LGBTQIA2S+ flag raising and Pride Party celebration.

Founded in 1994 by Rodney Wilson, a gay history teacher from rural Missouri, LGBTQ History Month was declared a national history month by President Barack Obama in 2009. This celebration coincides with National Coming Out Day (October 11) and commemorates the first and second marches on Washington for LGBTQ rights in 1979 and 1987. It was estimated 300,000 folks turned up to march on this day on behalf of the call for legal recognition of lesbian and gay relationships; repeal of sodomy laws applying to consenting adults; an end to discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS; reproductive freedom for women; and an end to racism in the U.S. and an end to apartheid in South Africa.

We celebrate with a LGBTQIA2S+ History Kick Off Resource Fair on the first Wednesday of October every year with additional events all month long.

Lavender Graduation is an annual ceremony conducted on numerous campuses to honor and acknowledge LGBTQIA2S+ achievements and contributions to the University. The Lavender Graduation Ceremony was created by Dr. Ronni Sanlo, a Jewish Lesbian, who was denied the opportunity to attend the graduations of her biological children because of her sexual orientation. Fullerton College hosted its first formal Lavender Graduation in May 2024.

Registration for Lavender Graduation opens every spring semester. All participants will receive a certificate and lavender cord.