# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins"
- **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 25 Jun, 2026 at 06:00 pm
- **Event Description**: Join us for this moderated conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Very True but Really Wild Life of Bill Blevins" at the Mildred Berryman Institute for LGBTQIA2S+ Utah History

?️ About the Speaker: Bill Blevins was born in the central valley of CA in 1946. He entered BYU in 1964 as a non-LDS student, joining the International Folk Dancers, and the Cougar Band as a talented baton-twirler. Kicked out on suspicion of being Gay, he spoke with Apostle Spencer W. Kimball, confessed his past sexual escapades, and promised to get baptized in order to be readmitted to the school. A mission to Central America followed and then he met his future wife at a BYU summer program in Mexico. A marriage and four children later, his wife divorced him and Bill was excommunicated, leaving him free to embrace the LGBT community here, becoming a founding member of the Salt Lake Men’s Choir. He retired after working 36 years at the Marriott Library, University of Utah. Bill just turned 80 and has been reunited with his children after a long estrangement.

---

This event is free and open to the public. No ticket or background in history is required. 

---

REMOTE ATTENDANCE AVAILABLE 

Zoom link: https://utah.zoom.us/j/86061269049 
Passcode: 464036

---

Special thanks to Signature Books for allowing us to host this event in their space!

---

? Past lectures can be accessed on our YouTube channel or on the Berryman Lecture Series web page.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/salt-lake-city/conversation-forced-into-the-closet-to-survive-at-byu-in-the-60s-the-life-of-bill-blevins/200030155639750
- **Event Categories**: music, entertainment, lgbt-pride
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 54

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Salt Lake City
- **state**: UT
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Signature Books
- **lat**: 40.778039175409
- **long**: -111.905772686
- **full address**: Signature Books, 511 W 400 N, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-4168, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins"
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/a52665f715778e32a7514470ab9155999b0beb68560f2a93209233670df5ad54-rimg-w870-h1268-dc302f91-gmir?v=1782199422

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins" being held?
  - **A:** Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins" takes place on Thu, 25 Jun, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Thu, 25 Jun, 2026 at 06:00 pm at Signature Books, 511 W 400 N, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-4168, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins"?
  - **A:** Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins" is organized by Mildred Berryman Institute .
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins" is ideal for music lovers, fans of all genres, and anyone who wants to celebrate the power of music - from intimate gigs and live sessions to festivals and cultural performances. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Salt Lake City, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. With 50+ people already showing interest, this is clearly an event worth adding to your calendar - don't miss out.

## Structured Data (JSON-LD)

```json
[
    {
        "@context": "https://schema.org",
        "@type": "MusicEvent",
        "name": "Conversation "Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Life of Bill Blevins"",
        "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events6/banners/a52665f715778e32a7514470ab9155999b0beb68560f2a93209233670df5ad54-rimg-w870-h1268-dc302f91-gmir?v=1782199422",
        "startDate": "2026-06-25",
        "url": "https://allevents.in/salt-lake-city/conversation-forced-into-the-closet-to-survive-at-byu-in-the-60s-the-life-of-bill-blevins/200030155639750",
        "location": {
            "@type": "Place",
            "name": "Signature Books",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "511 W 400 N, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-4168, United States",
                "addressLocality": "Salt Lake City",
                "addressRegion": "UT",
                "addressCountry": "US"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "40.778039175409",
                "longitude": "-111.905772686"
            }
        },
        "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
        "description": "Join us for this moderated conversation \"Forced into the Closet to Survive at BYU in the 60s: The Very True but Really Wild Life of Bill Blevins\" at the Mildred Berryman Institute for LGBTQIA2S+ Utah History\n\n?️ About the Speaker: Bill Blevins was born in the central valley of CA in 1946. He entered",
        "organizer": [
            {
                "@type": "Organization",
                "name": "Mildred Berryman Institute ",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/org/mildred-berryman-institute/25599864"
            }
        ]
    }
]
```