VOA慢速英语2014 AS IT IS 2014-02-07 Homosexuals in India Seek Rights, Political Support 印度同性恋呼吁人权和政治支持（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2014-02-07 Homosexuals in India Seek Rights, Political Support 印度同性恋呼吁人权和政治支持

From VOA Learning English, this is As It Is.

Welcome back.  I’m Caty Weaver.

Today on the program, we report on how the wedding industry is serving the increasing number of gay people who are getting married.

在今天的节目里，我们报道为越来越多同性婚姻提供服务的婚庆行业。

“I think it’s great that now we have this opportunity and it’s great to see so many vendors here who support the community.”

“我认为这很棒，我们现在有这样的机会，能看到这里有这么多商家支持我们。”

But first, we go to India, where gay people and their supporters are looking for political support.

不过首先，我们来到印度，那里的同性恋者和他们的支持者正在寻求政治支持。

“Long term we have to think political."

Homosexuals in India look for political support and wedding planners and others serve the growing market of gay couples who are getting married today on As It Is.

“长期来说我们要考虑政治，但目前随着选举将近，我不知道谁能赢得选举，因为主要政党之一已经对同性恋问题表明了消极立场。”

Listen carefully, and before you know it, you will have improved your American English by listening to As It Is, here on VOA.

A Debate Grows About Gay Rights in India

印度同性恋人权争论升级

The Supreme Court in India recently reestablished an old law that banned sexual relations between same sex couples.  Many say the law has led to discussion about homosexuality -- a subject that has long been ignored in the country.  India’s gay community is reacting to the debate with a rights campaign.

印度最高法院最近重新颁布了一项禁止同性婚姻的旧法律。很多人认为这项法律引发了对同性恋的讨论——这个话题在印度沉寂已久。印度的同性恋群体发动了一场人权运动，作为对这场争论的回应。

Christopher Cruise reports.

Shaleen Rakesh is a 43-year-old gay rights activist in New Delhi. During his youth, he says, people did not even comment about homosexuality.  And he says it definitely was not discussed and debated.

Shaleen Rakesh 是新德里一位 43 岁的同性恋人权活动家。他说，在他年轻的时候，人们甚至不对同性恋发表看法。他说，这是绝对不予讨论和争论的。

“I used to really wonder if there are any other gay people in the country except for me, because I never met one until much later, when I was in college.  Really it was a suffocating silence around us.”

“我曾经怀疑整个国家除了我是否还有其他同性恋，因为我直到很久以后才在大学碰到了一位。在我们周围确实存在着令人窒息的沉默。”

That silence was broken about ten years ago, when activists began a legal battle to cancel an old law that banned gay sex.  They succeeded in 2009.

这种沉默在大约 10 年前被打破，活动人士发动了一场取消同性恋禁令的官司。他们在 2009 年获得成功。

But last month, India’s highest court re-established the law.  Now, Mr. Rakesh and others in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are at risk of legal action.

但是在上个月，印度最高法院重新颁布了这项法律。现在，Rakesh 和其他男女同性恋、双性恋和变性群体都面临着法律诉讼的可能。

Activists appealed the decision, but the court rejected the appeal.

活动人士对这项决议提起诉讼，但法庭予以拒绝。

Rights activists say they will not surrender.  They now are seeking political support for their cause, an action the Supreme Court suggested.  It said changing laws is the job of the legislature.

人权活动家说，他们不会投降。他们现在正在寻求对诉讼的法律支持——这是最高法院所暗示的要求。它指出，改变法律是立法机关的工作。

Gender rights activist Anjali Gopalan is with the Naz Foundation.  She says working with parliament to change the law may be the only path open to supporters.

性别权利活动家 Anjali Gopalan 来自纳兹基金会。她说，与议会一起改变这项法律可能是同性恋支持者的唯一途径。

There are many conservatives in India’s parliament, including members of the Bharatiya Janata Party.  Public opinion studies say the group may lead India’s next government.

印度议会有很多保守派人士，包括人民党成员。民意调查显示，该党派将主导印度的下一届政府。

So far, the ruling Congress Party has been the main political supporter of gay rights. For example, it proposed that the Supreme Court reexamine its decision to renew the anti-gay law.  However, the Congress Party is expected to lose some power in the next government.

目前，执政的国大党是同性恋人权的主要政治支持者。比如，它提议最高法院重新审视这项反对同性恋的法律。不过，国大党可能会在下届政府失去一些权力。

Anti-gay political positions are not surprising in India.  There is not wide social acceptance of homosexuality.  Christian and Muslim groups may have led the fight for a renewal of the gay sex ban.  Even liberal groups in India mostly reject the idea of gays openly living together.

印度的反同性恋政治立场并不令人意外，同性恋并未得到广泛社会认同。基督教和穆斯林组织过去发起过争取重新颁布同性恋禁令的斗争，甚至印度的自由主义团体也大多数反对同性恋公开生活在一起。

However there has been major change in the past ten years.  The silence that troubled people like Shaleen Rakesh is over.  Growing numbers of homosexuals in India no longer hide their sexual nature.

不过，这在过去 10 年发生了重大改变。困扰 Shaleen Rakesh 等人的沉默已经结束了。印度有越来越多的同性恋不再掩饰自己的性取向。

Magazines for the gay community -- like “Bombay Dost” -- are no longer released in secret.  The main media groups are also supportive of the subject.  And gay demonstrations have increased in number and size.  Now, non-homosexual students and young professionals can be found at such events, supporting members of the gay community.

同性恋社区的杂志 — — 比如 《Bombay Dost》——不再秘密发行，主流媒体也对此表示支持。同性恋游行的数量和规模也在增加。现在，非同性恋的学生和年轻的专业人士也会出现在这些场合，支持同性恋社区的成员。

Thirty-five-year-old reporter Aditi Sengupta is among these supporters.  She says the issue is not gay rights, but human rights.

35 岁的记者 Aditi Sengupta 是支持者之一。她说，这不仅是同性恋权利的问题，更是人权问题。

“What we need to do right now is take this as a movement for civil liberties.  Because today if we call ourselves a democracy we have to include everybody, irrespective of sexual orientation, creed, color, religion, everything.  It is not just about them -- if you look at the larger picture it is about each one of us.”

我们需要把这看作是公民自由运动。如果我们称自己是民主的，我们就得包括每个人，不论性别取向、信条、肤色、宗教等等。这不仅仅是关于他们的——如果从更大的方面来看，是关于我们每一个人的。

Activists say ending the newly-reestablished law is the goal of the movement.  But they say they will also try to begin a social movement that appeals to all Indians to change their minds about homosexuals.

活动人士表示，结束这项重新颁布的法律是这次运动的目标。但是，他们认为他们也会尝试发起一场社会运动，呼吁所有印度人改变对于同性恋的看法。

I’m Christopher Cruise.

Now we return to Caty Weaver for a report about how the wedding industry is serving the increasing number of gay couples who are getting married under new state laws.

Thanks, Chris.

Wedding Industry Serves Growing Gay Market

婚庆行业为越来越多的同性恋提供服务

Same-sex marriage is now legal in 17 American states and the nation’s capital. Many gay and lesbian couples around the country are now happily planning their weddings.

现在，同性婚姻在美国 17 个州和首都已经合法化。整个国家有很多同性恋配偶愉快地计划着他们（她们）的婚礼。

And photographers, food preparers, entertainers and others in the wedding industry want their business.  The number of large industry shows, called “expos,” that target this new market is also increasing.

而摄影师、食品商、演艺人员和婚庆行业的其他人则希望找到生意。针对这个新兴市场的大型展览“婚博会”的数量也在增加。

Love was in the air at one such expo in Baltimore, Maryland recently. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Wedding Expo included more than 30 businesses selling everything from wedding clothes to wine to food.

最近，马里兰州巴尔的摩的一个这样的博览会上爱意飘荡。男女同性恋、双性恋和变性者婚博会上有超过 30 个行业，出售着从婚礼服、酒、食物等各种商品。

Long-time couple Michael Sofield and Jamie Barnes came to the expo from New Jersey, where same-sex marriage is legal.  Mr. Sofield says they will marry in Maryland this May.

交往已久的 Michael Sofield 和 Jamie Barnes 从同性恋婚姻合法的新泽西来到这个婚博会。Sofield 说，他们今年 5 月将在马里兰结婚。

“I think it’s great that now we have this opportunity and it’s great to see so many vendors here who support the community.”

“我认为这很棒，我们现在有这样的机会，能看到这里有这么多商家支持我们。”

Marianne Puechl and her partner began organizing these expos in 2003.  That was before same-sex marriage was legal anywhere in the country.  She says it is often difficult for gays and lesbians to attend wedding expos designed for heterosexuals.  But they do not have those problems at her expos.

Marianne Puechl 和她的伴侣在 2003 年开始组织这些婚博会。这比全国各地的同性婚姻合法化都要早。她说，男女同性恋通常很难有机会参加为同性恋设计的婚博会。但在她的博览会上不存在这问题。

“They’re just immediately understood to be the brides or the grooms and they go from there and they launch directly into the joy and the excitement of planning their day.”

“人们很快就能明白他们是新娘或新郎，他们从那里直接就进入计划自己婚礼的快乐和兴奋中了。”

Cristina Dimperio from Maryland is getting married next year.  She says she liked going to an event where she felt at ease.

来自马里兰州的 Cristina Dimperio 将在明年结婚。她说，她喜欢能让她感到轻松的活动。

“It’s definitely a good thing.  We’ve been trying to do this for a long time and now that we can actually do it, it feels great.”

“这绝对是好东西。我们长期以来都在尝试这么做，现在我们做到了，很棒。”

Her mother, Catia Dimperio, is excited for Cristina and her daughter's girlfriend of six years.

她的母亲 Catia Dimperio 为 Cristina 和她交往 6 年的女朋友感到高兴。

“She’s 26 and we’re all ready for her to get married."

“她 26 岁了，我们都为她结婚做好准备了。”

Wayne Schwandt was at the expo to offer his services as a wedding officiant.  He is a gay, married religious leader.  He serves a Maryland church with a mainly gay gathering.  Mr. Schwandt says he helps fills an emptiness, because many clergy won’t perform a marriage ceremony for same-sex couples.

Wayne Schwandt 在婚博会上提供婚礼司仪服务。他是一名与同性结婚的宗教领袖。他在马里兰州的一个教堂主要负责同性恋的集会。Schwandt 说，他帮助人们填补空虚，因为很多神职人员不会为同性伴侣举行婚礼。

“I have been trying to focus more on marriage ceremonies for couples who are seeking to find an open and affirming pastor, which is still a rather rare breed in this country.”

“我一直试着把注意力放在那些寻找公开证言牧师的伴侣身上，这样的牧师在美国还是稀有品种。”

Bridal store owner Betsy Robinson says she has been selling more wedding dresses to lesbian brides.

漂亮的婚纱、珠宝、以及穿戴它们的模特们也参加了婚博会。婚纱店店主 Betsy Robinson 说，她向女同性恋新娘出售了很多婚纱。

“It used to be, found it internesting, that even if they were shopping with the mother, the mom wouldn’t say my daughter is marrying another woman, whereas today that’s very, very common.”

“过去，即使她们和母亲一起来购物，她妈妈也不会说我的女儿要和另一个女人结婚。而现在，这变得非常、非常普遍。”

Joseph Smith and his husband have a wedding invitation business.  He says many He sayHe business owners are not sure how to communicate with the gay and lesbian community.

Joseph Smith 和他的丈夫开了一个婚礼请柬业务。他说，很多普通店主不知道该如何与同性恋人群交流。

“Because we’re part of it, people feel more comfortable working with us.”

“因为我们就是其中一员，人们和我们工作会感到更舒服。”

Expo organizer Marianne Puechl says the expos with the highest attendance are in states that do not permit same-sex marriage.  She notes that many couples have other ceremonies to celebrate their love in states where laws do not permit them to be married.

婚博会组织者 Marianne Puechl 说，参与度最高的婚博会是在那些不认可同性婚姻的州。她指出，在法律不允许同性结婚的州，很多伴侣有其他仪式来庆祝他们（她们）的爱。

And that's or program for today.  I'm Caty Weaver.  Thanks for joining us.