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Dear John,
I wanted to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones, your chosen family and friends, and anyone you might be surrounded with on this special day.
This past year has been a difficult one for LGBTQ+ people and even more difficult for those who have been affected by other forms of hate, hardship, and war. Please know that everyone at the Williams Institute stands with you no matter what you might be currently experiencing.
We are dedicated to continuing to do what we do best at the Institute—fighting stereotypes facing LGBTQ+ people with facts and researching how laws and policies impact LGBTQ+ people’s lives nationally and globally.
Thank you for attending Williams Institute events, tuning into our webinars, reading and sharing our reports, and helping us achieve our mission.
I wanted to share some highlights of our work from the latter half of this year—many of which have been made possible because of the generosity of so many in our communities:
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Justice Sotomayor directly cited Williams Institute research in her dissent in 303 Creative to demonstrate that LGBTQ+ people continue to suffer from public accommodations discrimination.
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We published the first study examining parents’ reactions to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. We found that 40% of parents surveyed would like to leave Florida as a result of the law. The study has been widely cited in national media, including The New York Times.
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This past June, members of Congress reintroduced the Equality Act. The bill cites our research on poverty, fostering by same-sex couples, and child welfare.
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The US Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons cited our new report on Democratic Backsliding and LGBTI Acceptance in recent speeches and other engagements with policymakers and key stakeholders.
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This fall, we worked quickly to provide analysis to community groups and the California state government of four anti-transgender ballot initiatives being proposed for the November 2024 election.
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Our research was mentioned in the media over 600 times in the last quarter, including in The New York Times, NBC News, and the Guardian.
Lastly, I am excited to announce that starting today through GivingTuesday, we have a goal to welcome 50 new donors to the Institute. To encourage individuals to join us, the TAWANI Foundation will match any gift made to the Williams Institute, dollar for dollar up to $75,000.
Please consider making a gift today and help us continue to do the needed work so that all LGBTQ+ people are seen, considered, and respected.
Many thanks for all that you do—Happy Thanksgiving!
Brad Sears
Founding Executive Director and Roberta A. Conroy Distinguished Scholar of Law and Policy
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