OLYMPIAN ADAM RIPPON WILL RECEIVE VISIBILITY AWARD AT 2018 HRC LOS ANGELES DINNER: “One word best describes Adam Rippon -- fierce,” said HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin). “By being out and proud, Adam is bringing LGBTQ visibility to a whole new level while capturing the hearts of millions around the world with his incredible talent and personality. He isn’t afraid to use his global platform to speak out for equality, and we are proud to honor him with the HRC Visibility Award at the 2018 HRC Los Angeles Dinner.” Special guests also include out gay Olympian and past HRC honoree Gus Kenworthy, Teri Polo and Sherri Saum from ABC Family’s The Fosters, Josh Duhamel from Love, Simon, and many more. As previously announced, HRC-backed Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema and Representative Maxine Waters will speak and Grammy Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man will perform at the event. More from HRC, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times and USA Today.

Adam Rippon has brought #LGBTQ visibility to a whole new level while capturing the hearts of millions around the world. We are proud to honor @AdaRipp with the @HRC Visibility Award at the #HRCLADinner on March 10! https://t.co/9T6n17eYHt

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 8, 2018

ANTI-LGBTQ “FIRST AMENDMENT DEFNSE ACT” PROPOSED BY GOP SENATORS: The bill, reintroduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), seeks to permit discrimination by individuals, many businesses, and non-profit organizations against same-sex couples, single parents and unmarried couple. Said David Stacy, HRC Government Affairs Director. “Supporters of this legislation are using religious liberty as a sword to hurt LGBTQ families rather than staying true to our long tradition of it serving as a shield to protect religious expression from government overreach.” More from HRC, Advocate, HuffPost and CNN.

6TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS RULES TITLE VII PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY: Said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow: “[This] ruling by the Sixth Circuit reaffirms what we've said all along: Title VII bans anti-trans discrimination. Importantly, however, the court also rejected a for-profit employer's claim that they are entitled to discriminate against an employee for religious reasons.” More from Slate.

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Meet Gia -- a 14-year-old trans girl who came out to her school in a letter. “I’ve already been hiding for 13 years, and I feel like if I transitioned at a new school, I’d just keep another secret,” Gia said of her letter, which let her classmates know she’d be returning to high school as her true self. More from People.

Hear from Gia, a 14-year-old transgender student, who penned a powerful and inspirational coming out letter to her high school ���� https://t.co/u4BcOIjyQK

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 8, 2018

MORE THAN 60 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE SENATE LEADERS TO OPPOSE ANTI-LGBTQ STUART KYLE DUNCAN: Duncan represented the Gloucester (Va.) County School Board in its case against Gavin Grimm, the transgender high school student whose restroom access was restricted based on his gender identity. He represented Louisiana in its bid to uphold its same-sex marriage ban, and wrote an amicus brief for the state and 14 others arguing their same-sex marriage bans did not undermine the SCOTUS decision in Windsor v. U.S., which barred discrimination against married same-sex couples. More from Blue Virginia.

RESISTANCE WORKS -- BEN CARSON BACKTRACKS ON REMOVING INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE FROM HUD MISSION STATEMENT: More from HuffPost.

NEW NPR SURVEY SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF TRANS AND GENDER EXPANSIVE TEACHERS HAVE FACED DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE: Read the results from NPR.

16 YEARS LATER -- NYT HONORS LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON: More from The New York Times.

Marsha P. Johnson was a warrior for transgender equality -- from the front lines of Stonewall in 1969, until her untimely death in 1992. Thank you @nytimes for honoring the life and legacy of this trans pioneer. #InternationalWomensDay #WomensHistoryMonth https://t.co/Rcnq1Fpvk5

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 8, 2018

OPENLY GAY FORMER NFL STAR CALLS OUT COACHES FOR ASKING PLAYERS ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION: “I think it’s time to take another step and show it understands why asking a player about his sexuality during what amounts to a job interview isn’t OK, even if it is just to see how the player reacts,” writes Esera Tuaolo (@eseratuaolo) for OutSports. More from HRC, The Daily Beast, NBC Sports and The Washington Post.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JANET MOCK!

CLEVELAND TRANS WOMAN ON SCOURGE OF VIOLENCE -- “THIS IS REALLY GETTING CLOSE TO HOME”: There are at least six reported deaths of trans women in 2018 -- most of whom are women of color. Last month, Phylicia Mitchell was fatally shot in Cleveland. More from News 5 Cleveland.

FIRST GROUP HOME FOR LGBTQ YOUTH COMING TO WISCONSIN: It will open its doors to eight LGBTQ young people. More from TMJ4.

#openAZ -- ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES PLEDGE TO SUPPORT LGBTQ PEOPLE: The pledge marks a commitment to equality in the workplace, housing and public businesses. More from KGUN.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

ELTON JOHN WORKING TO END ANTI-LGBTQ “PROPAGANDA” LAW IN RUSSIA: John recently told reporters that he and his husband met with the Russian health minister to discuss anti-LGBTQ actions by the Russian government. More from New York Daily News.

GET THE LATEST ON THE KENYAN HIGH COURT CASE THAT COULD OVERTURN BAN ON SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS: Kenya is one of at least 72 countries that criminalize same-sex relationships. More from Autostraddle.

READING RAINBOW - Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

The National Trust for Historic Preservation details the history of the Pauli Murray House; Them. reflects on Miss Major’s role in the trans equality movement; Bisexual boxer Nicola Adams is the inspiration for one of the more than a dozen new Barbies released for International Women’s Day!