Gregory Hinton returns to Shepard Symposium for performance of "Diversity Day"

Gregory Hinton is a Montana native who grew up in Cody. He now is the creator and producer of Out West at the Autry, a historic public program featuring a series of lectures, plays, films and gallery exhibitions dedicated to shining a light on the history and culture of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Two Spirit (GLBT2) communities in the American West.

I first met Gregory a few years ago when he performed his play "Beyond Brokeback" at the Shepard Symposium for Social Justice in Laramie. The play was based on online testimonials by GLBT2 people responding to "Brokeback Mountain," the Ang Lee film based on the short story by Wyoming's Annie Proulx.

Gregory's been back in Wyoming several times since, most recently to serve as a research fellow at the Buffalo Bill Center for the West in his old stomping grounds of Cody. This week he's in Laramie for a Shepard Symposium performance of "Diversity Day" in the Wyoming Union's Yellowstone Ballroom on Friday, April 5, 1:30-2:45 p.m. 

This is a one-hour staged reenactment—with voluntary audience participation— of combative public testimony adapted from Missoula City Council Minutes to add anti-discrimination protection for the LGBTQ community, a first in Montana history.  Footage of the original April 12, 2010 hearing will screen silently as testimony is read. A workshop and discussion will follow.

After Mayor John Engen of Missoula declared April 12, 2010 “Diversity Day,” six hours of powerful public testimony was heard prior to a Missoula City Council vote to add sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the city’s existing antidiscrimination ordinance – a first in Montana state history.

'Diversity Day’ offers a frank glimpse into the day-to-day lives of Montana’s LGBT community and those who oppose their call for anti-discrimination protection.”  

"Diversity Day" was first presented at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival – Region 7, (KCACTF-7) in Ft. Collins in February, 2012.  It was then presented in June, 2012 at the West Hollywood Library as a featured event of West Hollywood’s One City/One Pride Culture Series. In association with the National Coalition Building Institute it will be presented in Missoula on April 12th, 2013 and in Billings in association with ACLU Montana the following weekend.  

Hinton has produced and directed stage readings of the AFER and Broadway Impact marriage equality play ‘8,’ both at KCACTF-7 in Ft. Collins and at the Bozeman Public Library.  Written by Academy Award winning Dustin Lance Black, ‘8’ is adapted from the transcripts of the 2010 California Prop. 8 trial where cameras were barred.  

For more information about "Diversity Day" or Out West programming, please contact Gregory Hinton at 323.876.9585 gregoryhinton@earthlink.net