‘Lavender Orientation’ returns to George Mason as DEI persists despite federal pressure

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, will host a “Lavender Orientation” for freshmen and transfer students who identify as LGBT.

The university’s LGBTQ+ Resources Center is sponsoring the event, which is scheduled for Aug. 27.

According to the university’s description page, the orientation “arose from the need for new and transfer students to find LGBTQ+ life, students, and resources at George Mason.” 

“Lavender Orientation has, over time, passed to the LGBTQ+ Resources Center so we can highlight and include LGBTQ+ student leaders across campus as they search for new members and connections,” the page continues.

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George Mason University also hosted a “Lavender Orientation” last year. 

“The LGBTQ+ Resources Center cultivates the success, retention, and well-being of George Mason students. Our work is deeply collaborative and rooted in intersectional approaches,” the center’s mission statement reads. 

“We build identity-affirming programs, develop leaders, provide critical resources, and foster a culture of meaningful community and allyship, at Mason,” it continues.

While the university has backed away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in recent months following federal pressure, the school has still maintained a commitment to leftist ideology. A mandatory freshman orientation event in June began with a “land acknowledgement.”

As Campus Reform previously reported, colleges and universities have a history of offering identity-based orientation events. 

In October, Western Washington University offered students an event called “Queerientation.” The university’s LGBTQ+ Western office organized the program to introduce students to its “many resources,” such as its “Gender-Affirming Care Team.”

Similarly, the University of Pennsylvania hosted an orientation event during last August to create “a safe space for first year students of marginalized genders and their allies to share their experiences and continue to grow.”

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At the same time, the University of Chicago organized “pre-orientation programs” for black students and LGBT-identifying students, while the University of Virginia promoted four identity-based receptions for incoming freshmen who identified as Asian American, LGBT, “Latinx,” or “Multicultural.”

“This exciting opportunity is designed to help foster a strong sense of community and belonging,” the description page for the University of Chicago’s events said at the time. 

“By building peer networks, engaging in conversations about identity, and examining culture throughout different Chicago neighborhoods, participants will be better prepared and more confident as they navigate their transition to campus in the fall,” it continued.

Campus Reform contacted George Mason University and the LGBTQ+ Resources Center for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.