Our new study finds that hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity account for nearly a quarter (23%) of all reported hate crimes in California since 2001, the first year statewide hate crime data became publicly available.

In 2013, the California Department of Justice began tracking “anti-gender nonconforming” bias alongside “anti-transgender” bias in hate crime reporting. Since then, law enforcement has recorded 522 gender identity hate crime incidents involving at least 582 victims across both categories. Reported incidents more than tripled over this period, from 25 in 2013 to 84 in 2024.

Another new study finds that between 1991 and 2024, Michigan recorded at least 90 cases involving 79 people who were charged under the state’s HIV nondisclosure law. Among those prosecuted, 68 people were convicted of an HIV-related offense.

Men were overwhelmingly represented among individuals involved in HIV-related cases in Michigan, accounting for 85% of people involved in HIV-related cases. Men made up about 77% of people living with HIV in the state.

Before 2019, Michigan’s nondisclosure law made it a felony for a person living with HIV to engage in intimate contact without disclosing their HIV-positive status. The law was reformed in 2019, imposing lesser penalties on people living with HIV who did not transmit or intend to transmit the virus without disclosure, and narrowing the scope of criminalized conduct. 

The Williams Institute is seeking an Executive Director to help guide our next chapter. Candidates should have a passion for rigorous research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, a strong appreciation for the Institute’s voice and values, and deep understanding of the policy issues facing LGBTQ communities. Ideal candidates will hold a J.D. or social science Ph.D., bring senior leadership experience, and have a proven record of innovation and collaboration across a broad range of partners and audiences. This position will be based in Los Angeles.

Deadline to apply: January 2, 2026

We are looking for a law fellow to engage in cutting-edge and high-quality research and analysis related to sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. The fellow will conduct legal and multidisciplinary research on the discrimination facing LGBTQ people, LGBTQ health, LGBTQ families, and the criminal justice system, among other topics. The position will be for a two-year term and will be based in Los Angeles, California.

Deadline to apply: January 17, 2026

The Williams Institute’s Global SOGIESC Research Grants Program is designed to encourage new empirical research focused on LGBTI+ populations in the least developed, low- and middle-income countries and amplify the voices of researchers from those regions. The program also aims to strengthen research capacity among participants by supporting networking and knowledge exchange (including a colloquium to present research findings) and providing mentorship, where needed, from Williams Institute scholars.

On January 15, 2026, law and policy scholars will discuss West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, two Supreme Court cases about trans girls and women in school sports. This session is approved for one hour of MCLE credit.

Join us in Los Angeles for our annual Jazz Brunch on February 8 from noon to 2 PM PT. Hosted by James Frost with co-host Peter J. Cooper, the afternoon will feature jazz music, delicious food, cocktails, and a celebration of rigorous research on LGBTQ law and policy.

The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law is an academic research institute dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy.