WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride

 

One British man has given us all a master class in trolling evangelical, homophobic wing-nuts who like to protest Pride.

In a new video  posted to Vimeo, Dean Paton of Chester approaches a group of anti-gay protestors at Chester’s 2015 gay pride as he remarks to the camera,

“This is how you troll horrible evangelical arseholes who think it’s nice to say people should burn in hell and what have you.” He adds, “It’s all scientifically researched so it’s completely fine.”

He then arrives next to two older men who carry hateful anti-gay signs and unfurls a sign of his own that reads: “Homophobes are statistically more likely to be gay.” The sign also has a giant arrow pointing towards the assembled band of homophobes.

As the parade wears on, Paton receives cheers from passing revelers. “Not bad for a £10 sign,” he says after departing, his work clearly done.

Bravo, sir.

Watch below:

[h/t Attitude]

The post WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride

National Coming Out Day — The Journey Continues
When I was 21, I knew I was gay but I didn’t think that coming out was an option. I knew gay people and I had friends who were gay, but I just thought that they had always been comfortable with who they were and that what I was experiencing was unique to me. I had no idea that most LGBT+ people go through the same stages of confusion and denial. I remember sitting on the edge of my bed in my student house just staring into space waiting for an answer that never came. I distanced myself from friends at university, fearing that they would see my lie. I withdrew from my social circle until the time came for me to go back to my home town.

Despite that fear I had, my coming out was relatively easy, and I only ever received positive reactions, but my journey have been easier if I’d have been able to hear from other people about how they felt and what their experiences were like. Everyone’s coming out will be different, but it’s easy to underestimate the power of sharing stories.

When a high profile person comes out, especially someone from a traditionally “straight” background such as Keegan Hirst, the first Rugby League player to come out as gay earlier this year, we naturally want to celebrate. We all know that LGBT+ people exist in all walks of life, but when someone makes themselves visible in a community where no out LGBT+ people exist, well then that’s a pretty big deal.

I run a website (rucomingout.com) that shares coming out stories. Those who are struggling to come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans take inspiration from other people stories; people who were once in the position they are in now. I get emails from people telling me that the website has helped them gain the confidence to come out to family and friends. The positive stories I hear confirm that the process of sharing our stories is powerful and it really does change lives.

A few weeks before Hirst came out, I received an email from a man in his early twenties. He told me that he is married, to a woman, and that he is also a father. He thinks he is gay, but he can’t see how he will ever be able to come out. He doesn’t want to ever break up his family. He can’t bear the thought of telling his wife that he is gay. One of the reasons he is struggling to come to terms with the reality of his situation is that he feels he is alone. When I explained to him that I know people who were in the same situation that he is, but are now content and happy after coming out, he simply could not believe me.

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is not about pressuring people to come out. What NCOD can do is highlight the difficulties that people still face when thinking about coming out. And if that can, in turn, make everyone think a little about how they can help those people not feel so alone, then that’s surely a good thing.

For every advancement in the LGBT+ rights movement that we’ve seen in recent years there’s another sobering fact or statistic to put things in to perspective. While the United States was declaring that same-sex marriage should be legal nationwide in June this year, four men “accused” of being gay were being thrown to their deaths from a roof top in Syria. Just last month Ireland’s new Gender Recognition Act came into effect which means that trans people can now attain legal recognition — without the need to see a doctor. By stark contrast, in America a trans woman is killed in a transphobic hate crime every 32 hours. Equally as shocking, around 40 percent of the world’s population live in countries where being gay, lesbian and bi can result in imprisonment.

The fact that we are far from a global acceptance and celebration of the LGBT+ community, coupled with people’s individual insecurities and anxieties about being judged, unloved or disowned, means that coming out will continue to be a big deal for anyone contemplating it.

Every single person, no matter what our sexual orientation or gender identity, can help to make the coming out process easier. We can stop calling things “gay” when we mean is “rubbish.” We can challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language; even if it’s friends who are using it — actually, ESPECIALLY when it’s friends who are using it. Parents can talk positively about LGBT people in front of their children. Teachers can challenge gender stereotypes in the classroom and on the sports field.

A recent YouGov survey shows that almost half (49 percent) of people aged between 18 and 24 in Britain identify as something other than 100 percent heterosexual. What this shows is that our understanding of sexuality and gender is changing. Our binary notions of sexual and gender identity are being challenged. We know that it will take the mainstream media a while to catch up, so in the meantime it’s important that we start having those conversations. It’s up to us to create the environment where being LGBT+ isn’t seen as being different.

The closet can be a very lonely and a very sad place.

Come out as an ally, come out as a supporter. Use your voice, use your story.

@waynedavid81

National Coming Out Day is 1 October.

Visit rucomingout.com and read over 300 coming out stories and interviews.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Gay artist schools someone who sent him hate mail in the best way possible

Conor Collins is a gay artist who painted a piece of work that went viral around the world; a picture of Caitlyn Jenner made out of the hateful comments that have been sent to her.

The British artist has turned something hateful into something beautiful again, but this time with his words instead of his artistic skills.

Conor made the Caitlyn picture by researching every hateful tweet and writing them on the canvas.

‘Caitlyn is making a difference to the trans community however I didn’t want to hide the darkness and persecution [trans people] face in my art piece,’ he said at the time, which was revealed in August of this year.

‘It was horrible having to research and write the tweets onto the canvas,’ Collins added. ‘To get through it I ended up working through half a bottle of whiskey and didn’t stop working on the painting till the small hours of the morning… For every person who sees it another person is shown the persecution and real danger trans people face.’

The post Gay artist schools someone who sent him hate mail in the best way possible appeared first on Gay Star News.

Joe Morgan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-artist-schools-someone-who-sent-him-hate-mail-in-the-best-way-possible/

Loni Love On Chris Christie In Drag, And Why There Are So Many Great Lesbian Comedians

Queerty asked San Francisco barman-turned-comic Yuri Kagan, author of Vodka & Limelight, to chat with Loni Love a few weeks after his conversation with another great female comedian, Margaret Cho.

Some time ago, I had the pleasure of opening for Loni Love, the comedian, actress and cohost of the talk show The Real. I must have done OK because she asked me if I would like to come back the next day and open for her again. 

Elated and flat out drunk after the show, I replied, “Shut the F up. Really? Like for real?” So needless to say, when Queerty asked me to interview Love, concluding her Being Loni tour, it was another chance to talk to her. 

Queerty: What is Being Loni?

Loni Love: It’s a one-hour special that follows different projects I’ve been doing. I hope people that people take away from it being inspired to go for their goals and aim for their dreams. Also to give my “love bugs,” my fans, a little bit more of me.

What makes The Real different? Of you, Jeannie Mai, Tamera Mowry, Tamar Braxton andAdrienne Bailon, who is the biggest diva?

The Real is different because you never know what we are going to do for the day. You are dealing with five girls, five different lives. We come together to try to entertain, inspire and try to give back to our audience. So far it’s working. The biggest diva would be Tamar. That’s because she was born into diva-ism because her whole family is like that. She’s just accustomed to it.

As a comic being on a live show do you censor yourself? Have you ever had to issue an apology?

So far I have as a comic not had to make an apology. As you know comedy is changing. You know, I think it’s just a sign of the times. People are very sensitive. I think you have to be a little more aware of things. So it’s not necessarily just censoring one’s self. Just being more aware of things that maybe in the past people could have gotten away with but on the air-waves they can’t necessarily do that.

Do you think that political-correctness has helped or hindered comedy?

Comedy is comedy. I think that you know it depends on where the comedy is being said and done. I mean, the audience. There are certain things that if you were performing in front of children you not gonna say like at a bar.  You have got to understand if you are on television and you know there is a certain demo and a certain thing you wont say you just won’t say it. Everyone is intimidated and everybody is being PC. There is a difference between you know, just being me or being funny. It’s a difference. So what is happening is that comedians have to dig deep within themselves, not just look at the surface of the joke and not do the routine joke. Comics who do this will be successful.

Vanilla, chocolate or swirl?

Swirl

Who’s your celebrity crush and who would you like to re-do their style?

Idris Elba. Re-do their style would be Flava Flav.

Are you single and do you use any dating apps?

Um, I am a satisfied single. If you watch the show, I explain that on “the Real.” I don’t use dating apps. The last maybe I was on ChristianMingle.com.

Do you go out to gay bars with your friends?

Oh, yeah the Abbey…  In L.A. you know you have so much fun at the Abbey. But the only thing is they always buy me drinks so I have to leave at a certain time cause I be tore up.

Years ago you let me open for you. At the time in your act you talked about Herman Cain who was comedy gold.  Who is your favorite GOP candidate right now and who would you like to makeover or see in drag?

I would love to make over Chris Christie. I think he would make a great woman in drag. I think he would kind of favor me in drag so that’s why I would love to do that!

You’re hosting a new game show produced by Ellen. What is it about and when does it debut?

It’s based on her app called Heads-Up, which has been downloaded more than 60,000,000 times. We play the game with celebrities and contestants and they win money and it’s just fun time. It’s more like the game is the center-piece but we’re actually talking and having fun while doing the game. It will premier on HLN in January.

If you could give advice to plus-sized performers what would you say?

Basically be yourself and make sure you wear the right size clothes with flat shoes. It’s easier if you’re doing standup.

Margaret Cho agreed to officiate the wedding of my boyfriend and myself.  Also do you have any words of advice for gay newlyweds and divorces?

I don’t have any advice for any of the gays just like I don’t have advice for the straights. I always say better you than me. 

You grew up in the projects of Detroit. What advice would you have for someone growing up under the same circumstances?

Try to be an in legal activity — not illegal. Try to get into different groups sessions and do different things to take you to see another side of the current living environment/situation you are in. That helped me. I did Girl Scouts. Even though we were poor the Girl Scouts helped me to see a different side of life.

You were an engineer, do you miss it?

I miss being able to take naps in my office.

You seem to work all of the time. You never stop. Do you take vacations ever?

I take what’s called a mini-vacation. I’ll take 1 or 2 days because of the nature of the business I can’t be away long. I’m learning to take a day or a couple of hours to myself. I am learning to enjoy myself while I am still at work, which is something I didn’t do in the past. I am still having a good time but still working.

What do you think about comedy being a “boy’s club”?  Do you have advice for women trying to break?

The only reason comedy is such a boy’s club is because in order to be a successful comic you usually have to travel the road. The road is hard for most females who have relationships and want families and want to get married. It’s really hard for them. My advice to women: I always say a lot of women who are successful are lesbians. You know your top comedians, like Wanda Sykes, they are lesbians and that’s because they were allowed to have a certain lifestyle that allows them to be on the road. I tell women trying to get into comedy you have to decide what you like about comedy. You have to plan more than males do. If you want children you have to plan how you gonna have the children and still be able to do the road. It’s all about balance.

Do you think the same is true for gay performers?

Yes. If you are dealing with a relationship and on the road I think it’s even harder for gay performers. It’s even harder to maintain a relationship. There are certain areas that aren’t accepting of gays. Dealing with that, trying to have a relationship or not being able to afford to bring the other person with you to maintain a relationship, my heart goes out to gay performers cause it’s a lot.

Have you ever swam in the lady pond?

No, I have always been with men. I think people feel that because I don’t talk about my love life much that I must be a lesbian but you know, people can think what they want to think.

Do you think it’s harder for women of color to come out?

No. I don’t think so. I have a lot of friends who are lesbians. They tell it’s not about color anymore. It’s more about certain parts of society accepting everybody. My lesbian girl friends don’t say it’s harder because of color. It’s just hard in general.

What’s your guilty pleasure?  You know, when you’re in the sweats?

I really like to swim late at night. Yeah. I just took it up six-months ago. I don’t know why I never done it before. Maybe because I was wearing weaves. I stopped wearing them. I feel different. There is something about the water. You don’t have electronics, computer or TV. It just gives me a whole different feeling. Now where ever I go on the road, I swim.

Is there a moment or has it not happened where you feel “I’ve made it”?

I never feel like that. I am just enjoying the journey. I mean just doing a movie with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis. You can say I’ve made it. I just look at it like I’m just really working and having fun doing it. I thought I made it when I graduated.

What’s your biggest fear and do you get nervous?

Before I go on stage I don’t get nervous. I am over that. I tell new performers to get over that, emcee as much as you can if you are starting out. That will help you get over stage fright. My biggest fear really is that maybe I just want to be around for my family. That’s why I try to work and prepare. I don’t want something to happen and not be able to be there for them. I live on the west coast, they are on the east coast. I always make sure I am able to get there.  My mom is 75-years old. I want to be able to get there.

What advice do you have for 18-year old you?

Don’t take that credit card.

Chris Bull

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Officials Smite Resolution Asking God to Spare Tennessee County from Wrath Over Gay Marriage

Yesterday we reported that Blount County, Tennessee commissioners were set to consider a resolution put forth by a group of citizens asking god not to smite the county for performing same-sex marriages.

Said the resolution put forth: “WE adopt this resolution before God that He pass us by in His Coming Wrath and not destroy our County as He did Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities…As the Passover Lamb was a means of salvation to the ancient Children of Israel, so we stand upon the safety of the Lamb of God to save us.”

It also said that the SCOTUS Obergefell ruling on same-sex marriage contradicts “higher natural law”.

The meeting, which was filled to capacity, mostly with supporters of the resolution who were wearing red, was adjourned immediately without consideration of the resolution, the AP reports:

The sudden adjournment shocked the 150 citizens who packed into the meeting room. Some of the attendees expressed their disbelief by shouting “Cowards!” and “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Neither supporters nor detractors seemed to know what the committee’s ruling meant for the resolution in the long run.

“I’ve never experienced this before, for a meeting to be adjourned before it even started,” said Blount County Commissioner Karen Miller, who proposed the resolution and voted against adjourning. “I don’t know what the protocols are for that, and I hope it’ll be corrected because it’s not fair to the citizens. They’ve come a long way to speak, and they should be allowed to speak.”

Most attending the meeting were in favor of same-sex marriage.

Read the resolution:

The post Officials Smite Resolution Asking God to Spare Tennessee County from Wrath Over Gay Marriage appeared first on Towleroad.

Andy Towle

Officials Smite Resolution Asking God to Spare Tennessee County from Wrath Over Gay Marriage

Get your home Halloween-ready with these 7 pumpkin-themed decorations

It’s just a little more than three weeks until Halloween and as the supermarket shelves are choc full with spooky-themed snack and sales in pumpkins increase, decorating your house shouldn’t fall short.

Black cats, witches and ghosts are all famous decorations, but nothing beats the one symbol everyone associates with Halloween: the carved pumpkin.

In celebration of the Jack O’ Lantern’s broad, creepy smile here are some of the best pumpkin-themed holiday decorations to fully kit out your home and give your Halloween party some pumpkin spice.

Pumpkin King Natural Scented Candle

Getting your home to smell the part is a big step towards creating the right, spooky atmosphere for your Halloween celebrations.

But we’re not talking rotting wood, flesh (ew!) or other unpleasantries – instead, go for this sweet, yet spicy candle, luring trick or treaters in with its scent of spooky woods, sweet pumpkin pie and just the slightest hint of candy.

Handcrafted in the UK and prices at £8.99 (€, $), the candles are available from OldGlowCandles on etsy.

Salty Karrot’s Halloween Sweatshirt

Christmas sweaters are famous – so how come Halloween sweaters haven’t become an alternative for people not wanting to dress up?

This cozy model from Salty Karrot will not just keep you warm, whether you’re out trick or treating with you friends and family or just having a night in, but also ensures you’re looking spookily festive even without a costume.

Available through Salty Karrots’ Dawanda shop, the sweatshirt clocks in at €32.79 (£, $).

Snack O Lanterns Cookie Cutters

We can all agree that there’s no Halloween without sweets, so why not take a shot at treating friends – or the kids knocking on your door – to some homemade cookies?

Whether you add pumpkin spice to your dough or not, this cutter will help you create batches of delicious, pumpkin-shaped biscuits – and the set’s six stamps mean you can easily add the Jack O’ Lantern’s broad grin, too.

Available through Pink Sumo, the set is priced at £8.99 (€, $), with free delivery inside the UK.

Ceramic Pumpkin Nitelite

While carving pumpkins is fun (and often comes with the side-effect of being served some delicious soup), not everyone has the time or patience to make their own lantern.

Placed in your window, these (rather cheerful) ceramic ornaments will make it clear to everyone that you’re up for a good scare, even without a ‘real’ lantern, and draw in the costumed crowds.

Priced at £14.95 (€, $), the ceramic pumpkins are sold by Cloudberry Gifts.

Halloween Lanterns

If you like to keep your Halloween pumpkin-shape free, yet still want to add something orange to your home, why not go with a more low-key, yet stylish addition to your decoration?

These hurricane lanterns, filled with pumpkin-orange sand, will fill your home with the sweet scent of Apple Danish pastries; despite the name, they’re indoors-use only thought and you should definitely not take them trick-or-treating with your wee ones!

Selling through Lubylu, these clock in at £15.00 (€, $).

Jack O’ Lantern Straws

What would a seasonal party be without matching, fun tableware?

These sparkly Jack O’ Lanterns pit into the current trend of vintage striped paper straws; add a sparkly pumpkin into the mix, and you have a cute and fun addition to any part table, be it for the kids or a more grown-up audience.

As they are white on the reverse, it’s also an easy way to prevent glass-mix-ups by simply writing names on the backs.

Available from etsy-seller ConfettiDays, a set of 12 clocks in at £4.25 (€, $).

Black and Orange Table Runner

Dressing your table in style is just as much part of Halloween as making sure you’ve got enough candy to greet anyone ringing your doorbell.

The simple color scheme and delicate pattern mean it doesn’t just fit the occasion, but can be combined with nearly any interior color scheme and style, from low-key neutrals to colorful homes.

Priced at £6.72 (€, $), the runner is available from MadHatter Party Box via etsy.

 

The post Get your home Halloween-ready with these 7 pumpkin-themed decorations appeared first on Gay Star News.

Stefanie Gerdes

www.gaystarnews.com/article/get-your-home-halloween-ready-with-these-7-pumpkin-themed-decorations/

“Straight” Married Man Feels Guilty After Messing Around With Another Guy

Reddit user Paulpaul123 says he masturbated two times with another guy and that it meant absolutely nothing. But now he’s terrified it’s going to destroy his otherwise perfect marriage.

35-year-old Paul and his wife have been together for seven years and have two children. They have sex four times a week and are still very much attracted to one another. But five years ago, Paul says he jerked off with another guy on two separate occasions.

“I have put it into the back of my mind all these years as just an experimenting phase,” he writes. “I am not attracted to men, I do not check them out, I don’t find them attractive, and I have zero interest in ever being in a relationship with a man.”

He chalks the whole thing up to simply being “something stupid” that happened. And he was able to keep the whole thing buried for years. Until now.

“This person I had done these things with years ago has now moved close to my house,” he writes, “and this has brought back many horrible feelings.”

“I love my wife,” he says, “I am not gay or bi. I have been to counseling for this incident and the counselor summed it up to me having a teenage moment and doing something stupid. At the time I didn’t see it as cheating. Now that I’m older and wiser I know that anything sexual outside of the relationship is cheating.”

Paul confesses he feels “very guilty” and “angry” for over the indiscretion, but he doesn’t know what to do because his wife “can’t stand cheaters.”

“She says once a cheater always a cheater,” Paul writes. “She’s told me that if I were to cheat, she doesn’t know if she would ever be able to trust me again.”

“What do I do?” he wonders. “I can’t tell my wife. I don’t want our relationship to end. I did this years before we had children, I would never do anything to harm them or mess up their lives.”

“I just don’t know what to do.”

What do you think Paul should do? Vote in the poll and sound off in comments below.

Should Paul tell his wife he masturbated with another man five years ago?

Graham Gremore

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Philadelphia Trans Woman Attacked by Gang, Then Shot In ‘Execution-Style’ Murder: VIDEO

Twenty-two year old trans woman Keisha Jenkins was attacked by a group of five to six men in Philadelphia yesterday morning before being fatally shot in the back.

Police are treating the case as a homicide rather than a hate crime. However, a Philadelphia Police Department spokeswoman said that could change as the investigation continues.

#KeishaJenkins #SayHerName Rest in peace, Sister.

— WordsOnIce (@WordsOnIce) October 7, 2015

Jenkins is one of at least 16 trans woman of color who have been reportedly killed in the U.S. this year. Although it is reported that at least 18 trans women have been murdered so far this year, the actual number is likely higher as family members often don’t report that a victim identified as transgender.

RELATED: Trans Woman Run Over With SUV In Possible Hate Crime Is 17th Murdered This Year – VIDEO

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction of Jenkins’s attackers.

Watch ABC’s report on the “execution-style murder” below.

(Image via Twitter)

The post Philadelphia Trans Woman Attacked by Gang, Then Shot In ‘Execution-Style’ Murder: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

Michael Fitzgerald

Philadelphia Trans Woman Attacked by Gang, Then Shot In ‘Execution-Style’ Murder: VIDEO

The Encyclopedia Madonnica Turns 20

Back in 1995, the late Bedtime Stories era, St. Martin’s Press published the first book by writer Matthew Rettenmund. Before he wrote and published the acclaimed novel Boy Culture, which would be made into a movie and provide inspiration for a popular blog, Rettenmund created the Encyclopedia Madonnica.

“A humorous, irreverently reverent, exhaustive, unofficial A-to-Z on the life and career of Madonna,” is how superfan Rettenmund describes it. In those early days of the Internet, the encyclopedia was the most trusted resource for Madonna followers, chronicling everything from the superstar’s numerous loves (Basquiat to Beatty) to her infamous feuds (Paula Abdul to Elton John).

Even after the Internet took over everything and Madonna herself got on Instagram, fans badgered Rettenmund for an updated version of the Enyclopedia Madonnica.

The author, who has done everything from edit a successful teen magazine to help reality star Bethenny Frankel run her website, launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the 20th anniversary addition.

Surpassing his $22,000 goal by more than $10,000, the book is now out, just in time for Madonna’s critically acclaimed Rebel Heart tour. 

A limited edition version, featuring exclusive photos and a cover by the British street artist Pegasus, has already sold out its run of 500 copies (Rettenmund says more may become available). Fear not, though — a 584-page regular edition is still available for $65 and features “never-before-seen images of Madonna,” including a little-known 1981 gig and rare pics from the Desperately Seeking Susan set.

The book features original interviews, including the producer on Madonna’s Broadway debut and one of the star’s first stylists. Spanish artist Alejandro Mogollo provided illustrations that pepper the enyclopedia.

Rettenmund updated the book with information up to Rebel Heart, catching readers up on the Evita and Ray of Light triumphs, the yoga phase, Kabbalah era, children’s book author days, Guy Ritchie drama, and her present days as defiant, sexy single lady. 

“This is the book for people even more interested in Madonna than Madonna is interested in Madonna,” Rettenmund says. “It’s for people who love her music, understand her contribution to pop culture and despise anyone who thinks she should be vaporized for daring to live past the age of 30, let alone have fun, make art, piss people off, and nail 20-somethings while doing it.”

For more info on Enyclopedia Madonnica, click here.

Neal Broverman

www.advocate.com/books/2015/10/07/encyclopedia-madonnica-turns-20

25 Award-Winning Wedding Photos You Just Have To See

Four times a year, the Fearless Awards honor the very best photos by the world’s top wedding photographers. And the most recent collection, released Tuesday, is no exception.

After poring over more than 15,000 submissions from 1,300 photographers, a group of curators carefully narrowed the finalists down to a mere 184.

See some of the awe-inspiring images that made the cut, along with commentary from the editors of the Fearless Photographers site, below. 

For more incredible photos, check out the slideshow below. To see the collection in its entirety, head over to the Fearless Photographers website. 

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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