Gender and Sexuality Center

OU to celebrate its annual Pride Month March 10-April 10

icon of a calendarMarch 7, 2025

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OU to celebrate its annual Pride Month March 10-April 10
Pride Flag

Oakland University celebrates annual Pride Month, March 10 - April 10. Educational events and informational meetings are open to all students, and support students in OU’s campus community. 

The month features a variety of events including the 2nd annual BBQueer Pride Month Kickoff, 20th annual OU Drag Show and 10th annual Pride Prom. Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) will be recognized over three days of special events, from March 31st through April 2, concluding with the 6th annual Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture, featuring TDOV creator Rachel Crandall Crocker.

"Pride Month reminds our LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty that they are understood, valued and celebrated at Oakland University," explained Blake Ilan, coordinator for OU’s Gender and Sexuality Center. "It also provides the entire campus community with opportunities to embody the Golden Grizzly commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by learning about LGBTQ+ identities, history and advocacy."

The full event schedule is below. Click here to subscribe to the Pride Month Google Calendar. All events are free and open to the public. For more information about Pride Month at OU, visit oakland.edu/gsc/pride-month.

OU Pride Month 2025 Events

2nd Annual BBQueer Pride Month Kickoff
Monday, March 10th from Noon - 2 PM in 159 NFH
Join us as we kick off Pride Month with our 2nd Annual BBQueer. Enjoy free food, games, music, and more!
Sponsored by OU GSC, OU LGBTQIA ERG, and Magna

The Queer Agenda Weekly Meeting: Enacting Mutual Aid at OU
Wednesday, March 12th from 3-5 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of the Queer Agenda, where LGBTQ+ students and allies work together to grow as leaders, build political literacy, and engage in mutual aid. This week we will focus on how we can enact mutual aid at OU.

QTPOC @ OU Weekly Meeting: Being QTPOC in This Political Climate
Thursday, March 13th from 5 - 6 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of QTPOC @ OU, a space centering the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ People of Color. This week, we will focus on providing space to process how it feels to be a QTPOC in this political climate and building networks of support.

Lavender Brunch & Bingo
Tuesday, March 18th from 6 - 8 PM in Hillcrest Hall Classroom 306
Join us as we celebrate our newest LGBTQ+ campus community space, Lavender Village LLC, which welcomed residents for the first time this year. And what does a community of LGBTQ+ people and allies do to celebrate a new beginning? Late night brunch and bingo, or course! Come on down to Hillcrest Hall and join in a gay ol’ time in the spirit of queer tradition!
Sponsored by Lavender Village LLC, RLA and SAGE

The Queer Agenda Weekly Meeting: Drag is Political
Wednesday, March 19th from 3 - 5 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of the Queer Agenda, where LGBTQ+ students and allies work together to grow as leaders, build political literacy, and engage in mutual aid. This week we will learn about the political history and power of drag.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
Thursday, March 20th at Noon on Zoom
OU Libraries welcomes Dr. Michael Chaney,  OU Associate Professor (SEHS - Counseling) to discuss the unique mental health needs of LGBTQ+ communities, and provide guidance on best practices for suicide prevention and intervention work with LGBTQ+ populations.

QTPOC @ OU Weekly Meeting: Ballroom & Drag QTPOC History
Thursday, March 20th from 5 - 6 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of QTPOC @ OU, a space centering the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ People of Color. This week, we will be discussing Ballroom and Drag history in queer/trans communities of color.

20th Annual Drag Show
Tuesday, March 25th
Doors Open at 6 PM, Show Begins at 7 PM
Oakland Center - Ballrooms
Your favorite day of the year is finally here! Join us for our 20th Annual OU Drag Show featuring Sabin and a cast of all star local performers, plus student amateur drag debuts! Plus free food!
Presented by SAGE and OU GSC, with generous support from Magna and SAFB. Co-sponsored by OUSC, College Democrats at OU, Grizzlies Anime Club, Michigan Coalition for Human Rights at OU, Women in Computing (WIC), and RAINBOW.

The Queer Agenda Weekly Meeting: Trans Visibility, Advocacy, and Allyship
Wednesday, March 26th from 3-5 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of the Queer Agenda, where LGBTQ+ students and allies work together to grow as leaders, build political literacy, and engage in mutual aid. This week we will plan for next week's Trans Visibility events, and learn how to be trans affirming leaders.

QTPOC @ OU Weekly Meeting: Celebrating Black Trans Visionaries
Thursday, March 27th from 5-6 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of QTPOC @ OU, a space centering the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ People of Color. This week, we will be discussing Black transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming visionaries and revolutionaries.

Transgender Day of Visibility: Day of Action
Monday, March 31st from 10 AM - 4 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is celebrated around the world on March 31st each year. This year OU will acknowledge TDOV through three days of programming, starting with our Day of Action. Join us in the GSC as we prepare for our 2nd Annual Trans Visibility March.

2nd Annual Trans Visibility March
Monday, March 31st beginning at 4 PM (Starting Point TBD)
In 2024, following the death of Nex Benedict, OU students took it upon themselves to create a new TDOV tradition, marching through campus making their presence known, demanding that the campus community recognize the harms faced by kids like Nex who grow into young adults such as themselves. This year we will continue this tradition, bravely choosing to be seen in a world which often seeks to silence us - and standing alongside those in our community who need our support. 

Gender Affirming Resource Fair
Tuesday, April 1st from Noon - 3:30 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Stop by the Gender and Sexuality Center to learn about on campus, local, and national resources focused on gender affirming care, gender exploration, and creating inclusive communities.
Gender Together Support Group meeting to follow, as scheduled.

6th Annual Larrabee Lecture featuring Rachel Crandall Crocker
Wednesday, April 2nd at 1 PM in 159 NFH
We are honored to welcome local legend, Rachel Crandall Crocker, creator of Transgender Day of Visibility and co-founder of Transgender Michigan, as the keynote speaker for our 6th Annual Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture. Join us as we learn from Rachel about the local history of trans activism, creating TDOV, and continuing her activism throughout her storied career.
Sponsored by the Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture Fund, OU GSC and Magna

The Queer Agenda Weekly Meeting: What We Learned from Rachel Crandall Crocker
Wednesday, April 2nd from 3 - 5 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of the Queer Agenda, where LGBTQ+ students and allies work together to grow as leaders, build political literacy, and engage in mutual aid. This week we will debrief Rachel Crandall Crocker's Larrabee Lecture keynote speech.
Sponsored by OU GSC and Magna

QTPOC @ OU’s End of of the Semester Celebration
Thursday, April 3rd from 5 - 7 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of QTPOC @ OU, a space centering the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ People of Color. This week is our end of the semester celebration! Join in community, grab a plate, and kick back!
Sponsored by OU GSC and Magna

10th Annual Pride Prom
Thursday, April 3rd from 7-10 PM in OC Ballrooms
Prom wasn't the best experience for all of us, so let's do it right! Join us as we celebrate our 10th year of Pride Prom - the queer and gender affirming dance party and game night you never knew you needed. Free food, tons of fun!
Sponsored by SAGE and Magna

The Queer Agenda Weekly Meeting: Planning for Summer 2025
Wednesday, April 9th from 3 - 5 PM in the GSC (104J NFH)
Join us for our weekly meeting of the Queer Agenda, where LGBTQ+ students and allies work together to grow as leaders, build political literacy, and engage in mutual aid. This week we will discuss how this group may continue to work together throughout the upcoming Summer semester.

12th Annual Lavender Graduation
Thursday, April 10th from 5 -7 PM
Celebrating 2025 LGBTQ+ and Ally Graduates.
Winter (April) 2025, Summer (August) 2025, and Fall (December) 2025 Graduates:Register by March 21st.
Sponsored by OU GSC and Magna

About OU Pride Month
OU Pride Month is a university-wide collaboration, presenting opportunities to learn from and about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning and asexual (LGBTQIA) community. In the U.S., Pride Month is traditionally celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement. Today, Pride Month events attract millions of participants worldwide. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQIA individuals have had on history on local, national, and international levels. At Oakland University, we celebrate Pride Month from mid-March to mid-April, traditionally concluding with Lavender Graduation.

About The Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture
The Tim Larrabee Memorial Lecture is named in honor of Dr. Timothy G. Larrabee, an Oakland University associate professor of teacher development and educational studies who, for more than a decade, was a passionate teacher, researcher and advocate for the LGBTQIA community on and off campus. Dr. Larrabee founded the SOGI Initiative, which aimed to create a safe, welcoming, supportive and inclusive campus climate for all students, staff, faculty and administrators regardless of sex, gender identity or sexual orientation, as well as to advocate for the larger LGBTQIA community.

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