A MOMENTOUS STEP TOWARD FULL LGBTQ EQUALITY -- HISTORIC, BIPARTISAN EQUALITY ACT REINTRODUCED IN CONGRESS: The Equality Act, introduced by Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in the House and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) in the Senate, would provide clear, comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s civil rights laws. More from Elle, The Washington Post, CBS, Washington Blade and HRC.

• “The Equality Act is just the beginning”: In an oped for the Advocate, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) and Rep. David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) make a powerful case for the historic measure. More from Advocate.
• Millions of LGBTQ people to gain civil rights protections under the Equality Act. More from the Williams Institute.

Today, Congress introduced the #EqualityAct, which would finally establish comprehensive federal protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s civil rights laws.

Thank you to the pro-equality majority for making this day possible. https://t.co/gV8e7Mi9EM pic.twitter.com/DwzOg7U3V6

— HRC: TEXT Equality Act to 472472 (@HRC) March 13, 2019

TODAY -- #HRCONTHEHILL:  HRC’s annual Equality Convention kicks off with Lobby Day today. Hundreds of HRC members and volunteers will be fanning out on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and encourage support for issues critical to the LGBTQ community including the Equality Act and speaking out against the Trump-Pence ban on transgender troops. Follow the day’s action on HRC’s Twitter.

• Headliners at tomorrow’s Equality Convention session include Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS), Susie Lee (D-NV) and Chris Pappas (D-NH). Klobuchar’s remarks will begin at 9:25 a.m., followed by a roundtable featuring Davids, Lee and Pappas. Media interested in covering the event must contact elliott.kozuch@hrc.org for more detail.

HRC APPLAUDS HOUSE COMMITTEE FOR REJECTING ANTI-TRANSGENDER AMENDMENTS TO VIOLENCE  AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA): “It’s shocking that in 2019, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee would use a bill designed to address violence against women as a vehicle to launch a coordinated attack on the LGBTQ community,” said David Stacy, HRC Government Affairs Director (@david_stacy). More from HRC.

THURSDAY MUST READ IN NYTIMES -- HOW “REAL AMERICA” BECAME QUEER AMERICA: “America’s queer center of gravity is moving toward the middle,” writes Samantha Allen (@SLAwrites), reflecting on how attitudes toward LGBTQ people are changing rapidly in the heartland. “Before we know it, this country will have become LGBT-friendly not from the outside in but from the inside out.” More from The New York Times.

STATEHOUSE ROUNDUP -- MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE PASSES BILL PROTECTING YOUTH FROM DANGEROUS “CONVERSION THERAPY”: “Now, it is critical for the Massachusetts Senate to quickly pass these bipartisan protections so they can make their way to the Governor,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. More from WBUR and HRC.

• North Carolina faces lawsuit from state employees who argue that their health plan violates the rights of transgender people by denying them access to gender affirming treatment. More from NBC  and The News & Observer.

TRUMP-PENCE ADMINISTRATION’S TRANSGENDER TROOP BAN IS “DISTURBING AND DISAPPOINTING”: “This is really a national security risk. This is putting folks, not just folks, not just transgender folks, but other soldiers in danger by inflicting undue stress onto them,” said HRC Press Secretary Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) in the interview. More from ABC News.

.@HRC's @cmclymer calls Pentagon's new transgender policy "disturbing and disappointing.”

"This is enormously stressful... This is really a national security risk. This is putting folks, not just transgender folks, but other soldiers in danger" https://t.co/oCqpiiJfXo pic.twitter.com/tCmq5sbESc

— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) March 13, 2019

LGBTQ NETWORK LAUNCHES ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM: It will provide educational, life skills and financial training to high school students. More from NewsDay.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

INDIA DECRIMINALIZED SAME-SEX RELATIONS, YET LGBTQ PEOPLE STILL FACE STIGMA AND VIOLENCE: More from The Guardian.  

HORRIBLE -- ANTI-LGBTQ ARSONISTS VANDALIZED HIV TESTING CENTER IN ATHENS:  More from Gay Star News.

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP VOICES CONCERN OVER ANTI-LGBTQ CRACKDOWN IN MALAYSIA:  More from PinkNews.

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

Daily Dot features Nico Lang’s (@Nico_Lang) profile honoring the late trans activist Stephanie Mott; HuffPost highlights Queer Eye’s (@QueerEye) Tan France (@tanfrance) on how fashion has empowered him; The Salt Lake Tribune spotlights Utah Jazz (@UtahJazz) fans raising money for HRC Foundation.

A group of @UtahJazz fans aim to raise $25,000 — the amount Russell Westbrook was fined by the NBA — to be donated to Human Rights Campaign.

The organizer of the fundraiser says he hopes it will “show our true colors.” https://t.co/9TtC71aCej

— The Salt Lake Tribune (@sltrib) March 13, 2019

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