#Limjaroenrat
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Pita Limjaroenrat wants to restore democracy
The 42-year-old reformer Pita Limjaroenrat is the surprising winner of the Thai elections. Who is this charismatic entrepreneur, who spares no sacrament and is assisted by an army of young activists?
Noel van Bemmel15 mei 202315:40
“We have to do three things in Thailand,” says young politician Pita Limjaroenrat in a firm tone in a recent interview with the American business channel Bloomberg.…
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The Lower House (House of Representatives) will be hearing Thailand’s marriage equality bill at 9:30 am Bangkok time (10:30 pm Eastern for those of us in the States). The bill, if passed, would still have to be approved in Thailand’s Senate.
(Source and source)
Below the fold is Bloomberg.com's report on the happenings (source):
Bill to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage in Thailand Heads to Parliament
Bill is supported by most major parties, needs king approval
Thailand would be first in region to codify marriage equality
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat, March 26, 2024 at 2:00 PM PDT
A bill to legalize same-sex marriage could face a vote in Thailand’s parliament as early as Wednesday. If it passes, the country will be the first in Southeast Asia to establish marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
The House of Representatives will take up the legislation, technically an amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code, for second and third readings when it meets at 9 a.m. Lawmakers may vote later in the day.
The bill would legalize marriage for same-sex partners aged 18 and above, along with rights to inheritance, tax allowances and child adoption, among others. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s administration has made it a signature issue, and advocates say it would also burnish Thailand’s reputation as an LGBTQ-friendly tourist destination.
Taiwan and Nepal are the only places in Asia that currently recognize same-sex marriage, and recent efforts elsewhere in the region have had mixed results. Hong Kong has yet to comply with a 2023 court order to establish laws recognizing same-sex partnerships, and India’s Supreme Court refused to legalize same-sex marriage, saying it’s an issue for parliament to consider.
The Thai bill would change the composition of a marriage from “a man and a woman” to “two individuals,” and change the official legal status from “husband and wife” to “married couple.”
Thai laws have protected LGBTQ people from most kinds of discrimination since 2015, but attempts to formalize marriage rights have stalled. In 2021, the Constitutional Court upheld the law recognizing marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. Last year, a bill to recognize same-sex civil partnerships failed to clear parliament ahead of elections.
Rights advocates have higher hopes for the bill pending now, noting that it has broad support from most of the major parties. If it passes, it will need to be approved by the Senate and endorsed by the King. Then it would be published in the Royal Gazette and take effect 120 days later.
Srettha’s government has also promised to work on a bill to recognize gender identity, and the health ministry has also proposed legalizing commercial surrogacy to allow LGBTQ couples to adopt children. Thailand is seeking to host the WorldPride events in Bangkok in 2028.
Legalizing same-sex marriage could have positive effects on tourism, which contributes about 12% to the nation’s $500 billion economy. In 2019, before the pandemic froze international tourism, LGBTQ travel and tourism to Thailand generated about $6.5 billion, or 1.2% of gross domestic product, according to industry consultant LGBT Capital.
Formal recognition could boost the reputation of a place already considered one of Asia’s best for LGBTQ visitors, said Wittaya Luangsasipong, managing director of Siam Pride, an LGBTQ-friendly travel agency in Bangkok.
“It will become a selling point for Thailand and raise our strength in the global stage,” Wittaya said. “It will create a relaxed and safe atmosphere for tourism and help attract more and more LGBTQ visitors. We could also see more weddings by LGBTQ couples, which could generate income across industries and local communities.”
#marriage equality#marriage equality in thailand#thailand#thailand politics#pita limjaroenrat#srettha thavisin#this article is a very good look-see into how thailand has continued to leverage LGBTQ+ rights for soft power and now even hard power#lgbtq+#mileapo and freenbecky just visited with the prime minister last week#same sex marriage#same sex marriage equality
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Thai reformist Pita Limjaroenrat's bid to be nominated prime minister has ended, prompting outrage from his supporters after he won May's election.
The 42-year-old was first dramatically suspended from parliament by the constitutional court, forcing him to leave the debating chamber.
Lawmakers then agreed to block a second vote on whether he should be PM.
The Move Forward party leader had swept to victory in the general election as voters rejected years of military rule.
But to seal his victory, he needed the approval of parliament - which he failed to secure last week, plunging the country into political limbo.
The constitutional court must now decide whether he should be disqualified from parliament for owning shares in a long-defunct media company.
"I would like to say goodbye until we meet again," Mr Pita said, raising his fist as he left the floor of the assembly to cheers from party allies.
Mr Pita, a Harvard graduate and former tech executive, won on the promise of major reforms, including a pledge to amend lese-majeste, Thailand's strict royal defamation laws, pitting him against the unelected senate and other conservatives who say he poses a threat to the monarchy.
Outside parliament, Move Forward supporters wondered what the point of the election had been.
"Why ask people to go to the polls? Why don't you just pick someone from your families to be the prime minister?" asked one man, AFP news agency reported.
"Pita is not wrong at all. He did everything right," a woman said.
Before he was forced to leave parliament, Mr Pita had said he would stop working as an MP until the court made its decision.
"I think Thailand has changed and will never be the same since 14 May," he said, referring to the date of his election victory.
"The people have won halfway, there's another half to go."
Uphill battle
Mr Pita needed the votes of more than half of the 749 members in parliament's two chambers to become prime minister.
Last week, he secured only 324 votes, 51 short of the required 375. He had a clear majority from elected MPs in the lower house, but not from the upper house.
He always faced an uphill battle, as there was little evidence that the 249 upper house senators would support him. They were all installed by the military leaders of a 2006 coup as a brake on any democratic outcome that the military and royalists were uncomfortable with.
Move Forward is popular among young Thai voters who wanted to end nearly a decade of conservative military rule.
Art Chaturongkul, a 39-year-old living in Bangkok, said he and fellow supporters are deeply concerned as they see Mr Pita as representing their voices in the parliament.
"I'm filled with mixed emotions. Utter rage, frustration, and disappointment. It feels like a setback to the democratic process," he had earlier told the BBC.
Move Forward has formed a coalition government with seven other parties, including Pheu Thai, the second most popular party in the May election.
Many young voters switched to voting for Move Forward because Pheu Thai had been unwilling to rule out doing deals with the military.
Pro-establishment campaigners have sought to block Mr Pita from taking the reins of power after the shock election results in May.
Two cases have been filed against him in the conservative-leaning Constitutional Court. Alongside the one for which he was suspended, the other complaint claims Move Forward's proposal to amend lese-majeste laws - which have seen hundreds of critics of the monarchy jailed - amounts to an attempt to an overthrow Thailand's entire political order.
There is a precedent for what is happening now. In the 2019 elections, Future Forward - the predecessor to Move Forward - was dissolved by the Constitutional Court after it was found to have violated electoral rules.
Since 2008, it has also dismissed three PMs aligned with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by a 2006 coup.
Ironically his party, Pheu Thai - which has been on the receiving end of nearly all of the Constitutional Court's rulings - is now poised to benefit from this latest ruling against its coalition partner.
There is no love lost between Pheu Thai and Move Forward, particularly as the former has taken the latter's mantle as a champion of democracy.
But despite winning the election, Mr Pita may have to accept not only giving up the top job, but having no place at all in the new government.
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Thailand is an LGBTQ-friendly country. However it still lacks full marriage equality. An equality bill got stalled when the last parliament was dissolved.
However the leader of the Move Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat, is a proponent of LGBTQ rights. Move Forward ended up with the largest number of seats in Thailand's parliament in the May 14th general elections but is still short of a majority.
Signs look good that Pita can put together a coalition to allow him to become prime minister.
Here's the probable new prime minister doing a selfie at Bangkok Pride...
#thailand#lgbtq+#lgbtq+ rights#thai elections#move forward#pita limjaroenrat#bangkok pride 2023#ประเทศไทย#พริษฐ์ วัชรสินธุ#พิธา ลิ้มเจริญรัตน์#พรรคก้าวไกล#jonathan head
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Just a few years ago, talking publicly about the status or role of Thailand’s monarchy was taboo. But on Sunday night, a political party that had campaigned for reform of strict laws that shield the royal family from criticism came out on top in a general election, winning the most votes and seats, according to an unofficial count.
Napon Jatusripitak, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, said it was an “extremely significant” moment. “They have the popular mandate – 14 million people voted for this party. And, of course, the party will proclaim this as a sign that Thailand has some readiness for more extensive structural reforms, no matter the institution.”
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#hrw#human rights#thailand#what’s happening in thailand#dictatorship#democracy#politics#pita limjaroenrat#move forward party
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Thailandia: Pita Limjaroenrat vince ma non convince, bocciato in Parlamento
Il riformista thailandese, vincitore elettorale, alla prima votazione non ottiene la fiducia parlamentare per diventare premier
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WANDEE GOODDAY EPISODE 2
WDGD Ep.2 was a pleasant enough watch, continuing the lightness of Ep.1 and laying the groundwork for the episodes to come.
It's too early to be sure in what direction they're going to be taking this series, so I'm not looking too closely at things just yet.
And I've never gotten a sense that Director Golf has quite the same penchant for intellectual gamery that other directors (like Khun Aof Noppharnach) have, so WDGD might turn out to be not much more than a straight-up recounting of a romance (and that would be fine too). Nonetheless we are getting glimpses (little sparks really) of details tucked in here and there that suggest the series may yet narrate other messages on a deeper level in future episodes.
Director Golf is known for their political awareness (having spent time as the first trans politician in the Thai Parliament's House of Representatives), and this leaning was abjectly manifest when they directed The Eclipse. I'm not seeing the same heavy-handedness in WDGD though (and I think that's a good thing).
Part of me is wondering if the highly unusual method of determining who gets the orthopedic scholarship (patients and staff will get to vote on this, really? 👀) will re-surface later as a comment on the Thai political situation (always a rollicking ride). No guarantees, but odds are pretty good on this one.
Just a reminder that Khun Golf was ejected from Parliament through the application of a controversial law (banning lawmakers from having shares in any media companies), the same one I think that was also used to help obstruct Pita Limjaroenrat from becoming PM even though his Move Forward Party won the most votes in last year's election (it's also Khun Golf's political party). So any time the democratic electoral process gets referenced in a Thai BL (see this example linked here), the chances are high that the canvas is being primed for a political painting of some sort.
Anyway, just some light-hearted observations for now:
The novel that WDGD the series is based on is (by most accounts) quite trashy and throwaway, but you wouldn't know it watching Episodes 1 and 2 so far. The set-up out the starting gate was so squarely and comically blue-collar v. white collar, brawn v. brains, half-naked sweaty men v. lavender-scrubsuited physicians that I wasn't expecting to get much more than a shallow good time with a lot of tittering at man tits and macho tushies. But they've elevated the source material, imbuing it with a gentle sentimentality and treating the sexual element with humor and good sense (e.g., the condom and lube talk in Ep.1, and the discussion between YY and Dee establishing the ground rules for their Friends with Benefits arrangement). Quite impressively done, especially considering the lightness of its touch.
(above) Wandee Goodday Ep.2 [4/4] 6.28 – YY and Dee discuss the ground rules for their Friends With Benefits arrangement, against the backdrop of a neon sign that loudly proclaims "Less Expectations More Satisfaction" (which is, of course, the most basic ground rule for any FWB liaison)
About that sentimentality: WDGD's glowing emotional core continues to take the unlikely form of Yoryak, and Great seals the deal with his performance in Wandee Goodday's quieter moments.
(above) Wandee Goodday Ep.2 [3/4] 2.23 and the return of the wet towel trope – Yoryak and the neon sign above the bed demonstrate together how love in action speaks louder than words
The tough kickboxer has fallen hard for Dee, and you can really read the tender pining behind his muay thai bravado. (I think he does lovelorn yearning better than outright lust though.)
(above) Wandee Goodday Ep.2 [3/4] 3.53 – Yoryak plants a little sniff-kiss as he embraces a barely-conscious Dee in bed; he's fully-clothed, yet far more naked and vulnerable than when they were actually having full-on sex before
There's surely going to be emotional devastation in store for Yak because a Friends With Benefits arrangement soon becomes a wrecking ball to the heart if you're unlucky enough to have caught feelings.
And things can only get worse for our dear boy once he and Dee enter into their fake dating phase. Can you imagine coping with all that physical intimacy and also having to display emotional intimacy in public, but then being forced to deny it in private where you want it the most? Only pain looms on the foreseeable horizon for our macho fighter (su su na!), but it should make for some mightily delicious and pleasurably guilty viewing as he journeys through it all (if only for the payoff at the end; Golf please don't fail us! 😬).
There have been cameos and callbacks galore in just these two episodes. The hospital is named Tanwarin, which is also Director Golf's formal first name and this may mean they've cast themselves in the role of a healer here, with this series.
There are also the clips of The Eclipse that our boys watch onscreen (possibly foreshadowing some more political commentary to come).
And screenwriter Yokee Apirak Chaipanha (who also did The Eclipse with Director Golf) guests as Dr. Apichart, the head of the Orthopedic Department.
Of course Ep.2's Café for All is also a callback to The Eclipse (it was prominently featured in there as well, with Director Golf in a cameo as the black-and-white clad proprietor/server).
(top) The Eclipse – Ep.4 [3/4] 4.31; (bottom) WDGD Ep.2 [3/4] 7.28
And my read then was that The Eclipse, just like the café with Khun Golf at the helm, was meant as a welcoming, non-judgemental space for reflection on LGBTQ+ issues. Possibly the same is being said for WDGD here, though its general unseriousness doesn't seem quite the same or even an appropriate forum for any discussion of weight. Perhaps like in the second appearance of Café for All, what's being served up here in WDGD seems to be less heavy drama and more fluffy confection. Not that there's anything wrong with that! 🍰👍
Another possible cameo that's caught my eye – the oft-referenced, once heard but never seen Dr. Nop.
(above) Wandee Goodday Ep.2 [2/4] 0.50 – Yoryak looks disappointed when the nurses tell him they've switched his physician from Wandee back to Dr. Nop (while his t-shirt proclaims "Heart Melt")
I can't help thinking that this is a reference to Aof Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon, who's on hiatus from GMMTV directorial duties for the time being. He's cameo'd as a Nop before (see these write-ups linked here and here) and this may be a reference to his being unseen, but still acknowledged and not unheard during his present time off (I've written about possible reasons for his time away, in this write-up linked here).
Others have pointed out before I could do it, but yes cleaning the refrigerator does refer to rimming in Thai slang. 😂
(above) Wandee Goodday Ep.2 [4/4] 9.33 – YY turns up at Dee's unit 609 (possibly a reference to 609 Bedtime Story, that was also created by Director Golf and screenwriter Yokee Apirak) appropriately togged out with a gas mask, goggles and bodysuit, all ready to give Wandee's "fridge" a thorough scrub and rub
This thread on the Pantip forum (linked here) explains the term. And the same thread also explains that washing the dishes can mean either sloppy seconds or oral, which lends weight to Li Ming's laang jaan comeback to Jim as payback for infantilizing him during the market scene in Moonlight Chicken:
OK, so I didn't find anything truly earth-shaking about WDGD Ep.2, but that's typically the case for second and third episodes in any series while they set things up for plot developments to come.
Still, Wandee Goodday is already glowing with a comforting warmth, peppered with light comedic turns even as it foreshadows darker shifts in the future. I hope they build on the solid foundations of Episodes 1 and 2, and serve up the remaining ten episodes ripened to their fullest potential (because there's lots in there they can play with). Here's to hoping! 🥰
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The Leader of Thailand's Move Forward Party Will Attend Man Suang's Premiere
krispond.w: Beautiful and exquisite. This card is for the important guest of our movie premiere "Khun Tim Pita" @tim_pita who will join us as another driving force for Thai movies and the Thai entertainment industry to become even more powerful, being the soft power of Thailand for all of us.
Be proud of being Thai #Man Suang
(via Pond's IG, translated by Google. edited for clarity.)
Move Forward is a progressive, anti-establishment party whose policies include legalizing same-sex marriage and reforming Thailand's lèse-majesté laws.
They pulled an upset victory in the general 2023 election, winning 151 seats in the House of Representatives. Their leader, Khun Pita Limjaroenrat, formed an eight-party coalition for his Prime Minister bid. But unfortunately, the party's progressive polices are very unpopular with the military-appointed senate.
As of yesterday, the current military-controlled government has officially thwarted Khun Pita's PM bid. And voters are rightfully upset.
This is huge news. The Thai public and us international viewers can be assured that the production is aligned with the right people.
But to quote @discluded: "I don't want Thailand's struggle for people to have the democracy they deserve to be boiled down to: how will this affect the performance of my blorbo's movie."
Disclaimer: I am not Thai. I've just been following Thai politics closely.
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Thailand to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
If the bill passes the legislature and becomes the law, Thailand would become the first country in Southeast Asia that legalized gay marriages.
None of Thailand’s neighbors recognize gay marriage or unions, with homosexuality punishable by imprisonment in both Malaysia and Myanmar.
The marriage equality bill proposed by Thai prime minister will likely face little opposition in parliament. Thavisin’s 11-party coalition supports the legislation, as does opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s eight-party alliance, which promised to introduce a similar bill after winning the most seats in this May’s general election, but failing to form a government.
#politics#asia#same sex marriage#Thailand#lesbian#lgbt#gay#lgbtq#wlw#bi#girls who like girls#lgbtqia#sapphic
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ทำไมถึงเต็มคิดอะไรลึกซึ้งไม่เป็น = Why are you utterly unable to think profoundly?
me @ myself, trying to order my thoughts about this episode
Disclaimer: I'm still learning Thai so feel free to correct me on anything 🙏
I'll probably make a separate post about the poem since that's pretty far outside of my current Thai abilities lol but I found it was so central to the episode that I wanna take a closer look at it anyway!
The book is called ขอบฟ้าขลิบทอง (khawp faa klip tawng) 'gold-trimmed horizon' and this specific poem seems to be named after its first line มิ่งมิตร (ming mit) 'cherished friend(s)'. The author's name is อุชเชนี ประคิณ ชุมสาย ณ อยุธยา (romanizations as shown in the end credits of the episode even though it's not helpful in finding info on her anyway lol).
To me, this poem carries the same tone as the entire show, as I think the script/writing emphasizes kindness, empathy, and hope for the future. And มิ่งมิตร (ming mit) also speaks about equality/liberty:
...which brings me all the way to the end of the episode, actually:
This was what stuck with me the most. It's not just that Kawi has no living relatives left, it's that his longterm partner is not legally considered family and thus has no rights concerning Kawi.
The implications of not having marriage equality already hit me hard when it came up in Moonlight Chicken but it's truly sad now after the disappointment of the 2023 general elections in Thailand (very briefly: progressive democratic Move Forward party winning the most seats but continuously being blocked from forming a government, their leader Pita Limjaroenrat losing the bid for Prime Minister and even being suspended from being a member of parliament).
I'm not sure what Pisaeng is supposed to have learned or needs to do differently, from what we've been shown.
That Pisaeng and Kawi need to join Max in fighting for their rights?
That Kawi, like his dad, should see a doctor sooner rather than later?
That Kawi can't be giving up everything to be with Pisaeng, considering we never saw him leave the condo for work, friends, hobbies, anything?
We've also got Schrödinger's ace!Kawi, considering Kawi's feelings in that regard didn't get resolved this week plus there being no indication either which way if their relationship in this future had a sexual component or not.
Actually, that reminds me- @rocketturtle4 basically predicted this episode in broad strokes last week! I basically spent the entirety of parts 2-4 in a state of slight confusion, waiting for the other shoe to drop or for the clearly-left-out conversation about intimacy we all expected last episode to be shown. Something felt, intentionally, off.
A few last notes:
What were Phong and Daow (aka Pear's dad and Pisaeng's mom) referring to with "messy issue"? The word used was วุ่นวาย (woon waai) which could mean anything from chaotic, to troublesome, to confusing, ... you see my confusion?
I'm not sure if we're supposed to take this as the parents knowing about the whole love triangle weirdness or if I simply forgot about an earlier tidbit from Pear and Pisaeng's past as childhood friends. This was a lovely scene btw, the meaning of parenthood and child-parent relationships are portrayed so nicely in this show.
If you've read my post from last week about Pisaeng and Kawi switching to different pronouns and are curious about any changes this week- From the moment we hear the boys talk with each other on Pisaeng's bed after moving in together, they continuously use ผม (pom) / คุณ (khun). Meanwhile the after credit scene (that I'm not sure when to place in this time travel chaos) contained no pronouns at all! In the preview, I heard both of them use them again.
Maybe it's my love for Thai but I felt like "I'm glad you're happy." was a bit of a curt translation for what Pear said to her mom so here's me trying to preserve the sentiment:
"แต่ถึงยังไง หนูก็ดีใจนะค่ะ ที่แม่มีความสุข" = But still, I'm happy. Because you're happy./...that you've found happiness.
She's my baby angel and I won't hear a single word of criticism about her!!
#be my favorite the series#be my favorite#thai bl#i'm super sleepy so i have a feeling my aimless ramble doesn't say much of anything but at least it's out of my system#gotta wait to read meta until i've had some sleep#local woman harps on about linguistics#ql musings
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Our favorite Thai simps are tweeting right now on the latest developments regarding parliamentary/Prime Ministerial elections. Here are two articles that break down what’s happening, and if @telomeke is tracking anything and wants to share it, please do (dear friend — tag, you’re it!).
It looks like the Move Forward candidate, Pita Limjaroenrat, did not muster enough Senate votes to confirm his Prime Ministership, and will have to face another Senate vote in a few days:
And in that context, he has been accused of potential breaking election ethics laws:
Remember that the Move Forward party is the favorite of a younger Thai electorate — Move Forward is the party that says it will legalize same-sex marriage in Thailand in its first 100 days of leadership.
Everyone has been tweeting about this — P’Aof, Tay, Mix, Nanon, etc. Remember that Our Skyy 2 x The Eclipse also made reference to these styles of elections. If shit goes down, it WILL be referenced in our beloved dramas!
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[Nikkei is Japanese Private Media]
Thailand's ruling Pheu Thai Party at the party's convention on Friday elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the second daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra[...]
Pheu Thai initially formed an alliance with the progressive Move Forward Party with an eye on regime change. However, the coalition failed to elect Move Forward's then leader Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister.[...]
Some see the selection of Paetongtarn as a potential step toward political comeback for Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently in prison on corruption and other charges.
Thaksin, who is considered the party's de facto owner, returned to Thailand in August for the first time in 15 years. The king pardoned him, and his eight-year term of imprisonment was reduced to one year.
27 Oct 23
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https://www.reuters.com/world/natos-largest-exercise-since-cold-war-kicks-off-2024-01-24/
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Pita Limjaroenrat did end up attending the Man Suang premiere and took a pic with the boys!
#man suang#I hadn't seen anyone post this and I was really excited to see it#I'm still so disappointed that he was blocked from becoming prime minister#Especially since he seems to be a supporter of lgbt rights in Thailand#He also attended Thailand's pride parade
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