美同性恋就业保障有望在参议院通过

 　　美同性恋就业保障有望在参议院通过

　　CAPITOL HILL — A bill to protect gay and trans-gendered Americans from workplace discrimination is expected to pass the Senate this week, but stall in the House of Representatives.The Employment Non-Discrimination Act - known as "ENDA" - is viewed by some as an overdue² advance for civil rights, and by others as an unnecessary and unwise federal intrusion into the workforce³.

　　Gay Americans have won the right to serve openly in the military and the right to marry in a growing number of states. But many are still fearful at their jobs, according to activist⁴ Sarah Warbelow.

　　“They [gays] want to be judged on the basis of their skills, their talents and their efforts, not on the basis of their sexual orientation⁵ or gender¹ identity,” she said.

　　In most U.S. states, a worker can be denied a job or fired because he or she is gay or trans-gendered. ENDA would ban such discrimination nationwide with exemptions⁶ for religious organizations. The bill has the backing of President Barack Obama and all Senate Democrats⁷, including Tom Harkin.

　　"Too many of our fellow-citizens are being judged, not by what they can contribute to the workplace, but by whom they are and who they choose to love,” said Harkin.

　　Susan Collins is among a small group of Republican senators supporting ENDA. "The right to work is fundamental. How can we in good conscience deny that right to any LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gendered] American who is qualified⁸ and willing to work?”

　　Senate ENDA opponents have been largely silent. But in the Republican-led House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner issued a statement saying the bill would encourage frivolous⁹ lawsuits¹¹ and harm job creation. ENDA is unlikely to get a House vote absent Boehner’s support.

　　Some argue anti-discrimination laws can backfire by making employers fearful of the very groups the measures seek to protect.

　　Analyst¹² Walter Olson said, “For example, age discrimination law was intended to make it easier for older workers in the workforce. In practice, problems of older workers have gotten worse since that law was passed. And one reason is that they are seen as legally dangerous by employers [who worry] 'Gee¹³, if they do not work out, they are a walking lawsuit¹⁰'."

　　Olson added that Americans already have become far more accepting of gay people, making ENDA unnecessary.

　　The Senate’s only openly-gay member, Tammy Baldwin, said the measure will ensure dignity in the workplace "We [gay people] want to live in a country where we are respected for who we are. Where we enjoy freedom and opportunity because that is who we are as Americans."

　　Current federal law already protects workers on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age and disability.

　　ENDA was initially¹⁴ championed by former Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy in the 1990s. Political observers say many lawmakers now willing to cast votes for gay rights would not have done so just a decade ago.

1 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

2 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

3 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

6 exemptions   

n.（义务等的）免除( exemption的名词复数 )；免（税）；（收入中的）免税额

参考例句：

• The exemptions for interpretive rules, policy statements, and procedural rules have just been discussed. 有关解释性规则、政策说明和程序规则的免责我们刚刚讨论过。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• A: The regulation outlines specific exemptions for some WPM. 答：该规定概述了某些木质包装材料的特定的例外情形。 来自互联网

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

9 frivolous   

adj.轻薄的；轻率的

参考例句：

• This is a frivolous way of attacking the problem.这是一种轻率敷衍的处理问题的方式。
• He spent a lot of his money on frivolous things.他在一些无聊的事上花了好多钱。

10 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

11 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 gee   

n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转

参考例句：

• Their success last week will gee the team up.上星期的胜利将激励这支队伍继续前进。
• Gee,We're going to make a lot of money.哇！我们会赚好多钱啦！

14 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。