向前一步:第239期 为平等而不懈努力(18)

It's up to us to end the self-fulfilling belief that "women can't do this, women can't do that."

“女人不能做这事，女人不能做那事”——是否需要抛弃这种一旦相信就很可能成真的观念，取决我们自己。

Throwing up our hands and saying "It can't be done" ensures that it will never be done.

但是，如果对自己说“这不可能做到”，肯定会让这个目标永远实现不了。

I have written this book to encourage women to dream big, forge a path through the obstacles, and achieve their full potential.

我写这本书是为了激励女性追求更高远的梦想，破除障碍，向前一步，继续前进，实现自己的全部潜能。

I am hoping that each woman will set her own goals and reach for them with gusto.

我希望每个女人都能为自己设定一个目标，并全力追求它。

And I am hoping that each man will do his part to support women in the workplace and in the home, also with gusto.

我希望每个男人在工作和家庭方面支持女性，并且也能全力去做到。

As we start using the talents of the entire population, our institutions will be more productive,

当激发出所有人的才能时，我们的机构才会更有效率，

our homes will be happier, and the children growing up in those homes will no longer be held back by narrow stereotypes¹.

家庭也会更幸福，孩子们也不会再受到狭隘的旧观念的束缚。

I know that for many women, getting to the top of their organization is far from their primary focus.

我知道对于很多女性来说，进入管理高层远非她们的初衷。

My intention is not to exclude them or ignore their valid² concerns.

我并非想要否定她们的想法或是不顾她们可能会有的顾虑。

I believe that if more women lean in, we can change the power structure of our world and expand opportunities for all.

我只是认为，如果有更多的女性积极进取，世界的权力结构就会因此得到改变，所有人都将获得更多的机会。

More female leadership will lead to fairer treatment for all women.

女性领导者的增加也将为女性带来更公平的待遇。

Shared experience forms the basis of empathy and, in turn, can spark the institutional changes we need.

分享我们的经历会建立起对彼此的同情心，从而激发各个组织机构发生我们所需要的变化。

Critics have scoffed³ at me for trusting that once women are in power, they will help one another, since that has not always been the case.

我相信，一旦女性进入权力高层就能彼此扶持。尽管评论家们对此大加嘲笑，因为事实并不总是如此。

I'm willing to take that bet.

但我想和他们打个赌。

1 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

3 scoffed   

嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scoffed at our amateurish attempts. 他对我们不在行的尝试嗤之以鼻。
• A hundred years ago people scoffed at the idea. 一百年前人们曾嘲笑过这种想法。