The University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have canceled their LGBTQ+ specific graduation ceremonies amid President Trump’s administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Today, the UofL LGBTQ+ Center shared a graphic on Instagram with details about the Lavender Ceremony, but it was marked with a bold “Canceled” overlay and a caption that read: “Due to recent changes, the University of Louisville will not be hosting a Lavender Graduation this year. However, ALL students are still welcome to pick up a rainbow cord — no matter your gender, race, sexual orientation, or any part of your identity.” 

The post also explains that lavender graduations began in 1995 at the University of Michigan and they recognize LGBTQ+ graduates of colleges and universities because LGBTQ+ students often experience unique challenges and marginalization in college, and their achievements weren’t always recognized or celebrated.

UofL spokesperson John Karman said in a statement to The Courier Journal that the cancelation of the ceremony was made in relation to the new policies including Kentucky’s House Bill 4 which eliminates DEI initiatives in public universities. 

LGBTQ+ students like Anthony Munger, who was set to participate in the Lavender Ceremony, express their anger over the cancelation saying the cancelation is the direct result of a university that seems more afraid of losing state funding than of losing the trust, safety, and dignity of its LGBTQ+ students.

“By canceling it with no transparency, no input, and no attempt to find a solution, UofL chose silence and surrender over solidarity,” he said. “And we as students, deserve so much better than that.”

UofL’s cancelation announcement comes only days after UK announced their programming shifts. 

“Following a number of federal and state policy changes and directives, the university will no longer host identity-based or special-interest graduation celebrations,” spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Herald-Leader. “In the past, these were held outside of our official commencement ceremonies as an optional celebration and social event.”

Unlike UofL who has only canceled the Lavender Graduation thus far, UK has also canceled ceremonies for Black and first-generation graduates. 

The Herald-Leader also reported that UK is one of more than 50 universities being investigated by the department for the use of “race-based preference” in educational programs.

Currently, both UofL and UK are schools that earned five stars out of five in the Campus Pride Index created by Campus Pride, a national nonprofit that rates universities according to their support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.