同性恋婚姻合法化的十大理由(下)

6. The Constitution is Committed to Liberty and Equality

6.宪法以保证人们的自由和平等为前提

Same sex couples have the right to the very same benefits that heterosexual or non-LGBT couples enjoy, as they are citizens of the same place. If a city allows its citizens to get married, why should a legal citizen be excluded from the same right simply because of their sexual identification? This is especially true because the American Constitution is committed to liberty and equality for its citizens. Gay marriage is covered under this, as demonstrated in the 1974 Supreme Court ruling that "freedom of personal choice in matters of marriage and family life is one of the liberties Protected by the Due Process Clause". To promote anti-gay marriage sentiments as well as the banning of same-sex marriage are unconstitutional actions.

作为生活在同一地方的居民，同性伴侣应该和异性恋伴侣或者非同志群体享有相同的权利。若一个城市允许其居民结婚的话，那么同样是合法居民，为什么仅仅因为这类人的性取向有所不同就将他们的婚姻视为非法呢？在这种背景下，同性恋婚姻应运而生，以下这点便印证了美国宪法是以保证公民的自由和平等为前提的。1974年最高法院规定，任何公民都有选择婚姻和家庭生活的自由，而这项自由受到正当程序条款的保护。促使反同性恋婚姻情绪的高涨的行为和颁布同性恋婚姻禁令都是违宪的行为。

注：本文转载自前十网，译者：落月，小飞侠，刘洋，瓜瓜，旭旭

5. Illegal Marriage is a form of Discrimination

5. 将同性婚姻视为非法也是一种歧视

In the United States, only 25 states as well as the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage to date. The remaining 25 currently declare gay marriage as illegal, or incorporate various forms of bans in their laws or constitutional amendments. Those in favor of gay marriage argue that these couples have a right to the benefits and recognition that heterosexual couples receive, as they are people with individual rights and citizens of the same country. By the prohibition of same-sex marriage, lawmakers discriminate against the LGBT community, violating their human rights. When you prevent same sex couples from marrying, it sends out the message that discriminating against others because of their sexual orientation is okay. Worse, it implies that people who identify with the LGBT community are inferior because by denying their rights, the law effectively doesn’t recognize them as equal citizens. It tells other citizens that it is okay to judge other people and base your actions upon these quick judgments, even when you only know one aspect of their life, like sexual orientation. This is a crucial consequence, because these types of judgment can severely affect someone’s life. Discrimination in the workplace can affect a person’s financial stature and their emotional and mental health, especially if this judgment is freely and repeatedly acted upon. People in the LGBT community experience startlingly high levels of discrimination in school, at work, and fighting for marriage equality is one step closer to the equal rights that marks a civil, humane society.

在美国，仅有25个州和华盛顿哥伦比亚特区承认同性恋婚姻合法，其余的25个州至今为止仍宣称同性恋婚姻不合法，并且在其法律中包含多种形式的禁令和宪法修正案。那些支持同性恋婚姻的人认为，同性伴侣有权利和其他夫妻一样享有相同的权利并且受到社会的认可，他们是享有权利的个体，也同样是这个国家的公民。当你阻止同性伴侣结婚的时候，就传递了这样一种信息，因同性伴侣的性取向而歧视他们是可以的，是正确的。更为糟糕的是，这也同样表示，如果某些人被他人确定为同志群体其中一员的话，他们便会低人一等。因为否定他们理应享有的权利，这实际上便说明，法律已经不将他们视为平等公民了。这告诉了其他公民，仅通过你对他们生活的片面了解（如特殊的性取向）而迅速作出判断，以此对他们指手画脚都是可以的。而这些判断会造成很严重的后果，很可能会影响一个人的一生。在工作单位遭到歧视，也会影响到一个人的经济地位或精神健康，尤其是当这些评判毫无顾忌地，一直反复地出现在一个人的生活中时。如果一个人属于同志群体的话，那么他在学习和工作中受到的歧视可能会达到了一种令人惊奇的程度。同时保卫婚姻平等之战能够离获得平等权利更近一步，而这平等的权利则标志着这个社会是一个更为民主，人性化的社会。

4. Effect on Adopting Children: Marriage Equality has a Positive Effect on Adopted Kids

4.同性婚姻给待领养孩子带来福音

Did you know that in the United States alone, approximately 100,000 children wait hopefully for the day when they would be adopted? How often do we hear about the failings of our system and the numerous orphans or children in adoption centers who fall through the cracks? If children are indeed our future, should we not look for loving and supportive parents for each child left waiting for adoption? Legalizing same sex marriage would facilitate the adoption of these LGBT couples, allowing for stable homes for kids who heretofore had none. Those who oppose LGBT and same sex marriage would argue that gay parents will result in difficulties for the child, but this has proven to be untrue. This argument rests on the assumption that same sex parents will inherently cause problems for the kids they adopt, and have a much higher chance of being poor parents than heterosexual couples. If you examine that assumption, one can easily find very poor foundations. Gay couples are willing to fight for their rights and face discrimination just to celebrate their love; as such will they not be more likely to shower the same love upon the children they adopt? Pediatrics released a study in 2010 that the adopted children of lesbian mothers were more socially and academically competent than children of heterosexual couples. A similar study published in July of the same year showed that children with gay fathers were as well-adjusted as their counterparts. In fact, these children often tend to be more understanding and less judgmental of their peers, leading to a positive, harmonious outlook. Quite often the children left in foster care and in state homes long for the love and presence of good parents. Gay couples long to shower their love and leave a legacy in the form of kids. Why shouldn’t we be helping the two parties find one another, when it leaves everyone better off than before? In fact, if we legalize marriage between same sex couples, it will be much easier to monitor the care of the children, just like Child Protective Services can monitor and possibly intervene in cases of heterosexual marriages. Also, when the children see that their parents union is recognized, they will benefit greatly and the possible discrimination and stigma can be alleviated.

你知道嘛？！仅仅在美国就有大约10万名儿童满怀期望地等待着自己被领养的那一天。我们是不是经常会听到人们抱怨体制的无能，收养中心里无数的孤儿或儿童因体制的不健全而错失被领养的机会？如果说孩子确实是我们的未来，那么我们有什么理由不为留守在收养中心的孩子们找到能够给予他们爱和支持的养父母呢？同性婚姻合法化将有利于所有非异性恋的夫妇领养孩子。同性婚姻合法化将允许稳定的同性恋家庭收养迄今也没有家的孩子。那些反对同性恋和同性婚姻的人们可能会质疑，同性恋家长会给孩子造成许多问题和困难，但是经证明这是无稽之谈。因为他们的争议是建立在同性家长会对领养的孩子造成本质上的影响并且会给孩子带来许多麻烦，以及同性夫妇相对于异性夫妇贫穷的可能性更大的假设之上的。你稍稍观察一下这个假设，就会发现这个假设的逻辑多么不堪推敲了。只是为了庆祝他们的爱情，同性恋伴侣都愿意去直面歧视，为自己争取权利；这样的他们难道不会给他们领养的孩子同样浓烈的爱嘛？《儿童科》（Pediatrics）在2010年发布了一项调查研究，结果发现女同性恋母亲们领养的孩子相较于异性恋夫妇的孩子学习能力和社交能力更强。同年7月的一项类似研究也表明，同性恋父亲们领养的孩子和异性夫妇的孩子一样健康。事实上，这些孩子常常更能够理解别人，他们很少去评价同龄人，一直展现出积极，和谐的面貌。收养中心和寄养家庭的孩子们通常特别渴望有一对好父母的关爱。同性恋伴侣渴望爱情的结晶，能够让孩子见证他们的爱。同性恋合法化这么两全其美的事情，我们有什么理由不同意呢？我们有什么理由不帮助同性恋夫妇和留守孤儿们找到彼此呢？事实上，同性结婚合法化还会便于监管对孩子的照顾，就像儿童保护机构可以监管甚至可能干预异性家庭对孩子的照顾一样。此外，当孩子们看到他们父母的结合被社会认可时，孩子也将大大受益，并且可以缓解孩子们可能受到的歧视和羞辱。

3. Legalization Can Decrease the Rate of Psychological Disorder

3.合法化会降低心理疾病率

As legal citizens whose rights are recognized, we receive a significant amount of social support. In many countries, no government or social system is perfect, but having at least the basic rights recognized can mean a great deal. We have illustrated in our previous examples how this extends far beyond personal fulfillment, going as far as the workplace, school, and even a person’s mental health. Being able to marry someone and be recognized for that union provides a certain amount of physical and psychological benefits. On a simple level, one does not have to go through the legal difficulties when it comes to property and communal rights. It also facilitates the process of leaving one’s legacy behind through inheritance. The American Psychological Association as well as numerous other notable organizations published in 2007 that allowing same sex marriage will help give these couples access to social support systems that can even help make their marriage healthier. This support system comes with many physical and psychological benefits, and the American Journal of Public Health published findings that confirm this. After a state imposed a ban on same sex marriage, the homosexual couples living in those states showed a 37% growth in mood disorders, and 248% increases in generalized anxiety disorders. This can stem from the discrimination and challenges that correlate to anti-same sex marriage laws and gay marriage bans. On a psychological level, many also confessed to feeling as though they were branded inferior and less capable of love and a functional, stable relationship. The mere fact that legalities result in these things means that great change must be made in our systems and the way we look at things.

作为权利被认可的合法公民，我们能够得到社会的大力支持。在许多国家，没有政府或社会制度是完美的，但至少能够得到公认的最基本权利这一点意义重大。在前面的例子中我们已经说明了最基本权利如何远远超出了个人价值的实现，这还将会影响工作，学习，甚至一个人的心理健康。能够得到被认可的婚姻关系对同性恋伴侣们生理和心理有一定益处。从一个简单的层面上来看，当涉及到财产和公共权益时，同性恋伴侣减少了许多法律上的困难。同性婚姻合法化还有助于同性恋伴侣们遗产继承问题的解决。美国心理协会以及其他许多著名组织于2007年公布声明，接受同性婚姻会帮助同性恋伴侣获得社会支持甚至可以帮助他们获得更健康的婚姻关系。这种支持给同性恋人们带来了很多生理和心理益处，《美国公共卫生期刊》(the American Journal of Public Health)证实了这一发现。一些国家发布同性婚姻禁令后，生活在这些国家的同性伴侣心理障碍率上升了37%，广泛性焦虑症也增加了248%。这源于同性婚姻禁令和一些反同性婚姻的法律所造成的歧视和质疑。从心理层面上来看，许多同性恋人反映，禁止同性婚姻就好像在标明同性恋都是低人一等，不懂爱情，功能不健全，关系不稳定似的。同性婚姻合法化会给我们的体制带来巨大的转变，也将大大改变我们看待事情的方式！

2. Aligned with Human Rights

2.符合人权

For the heterosexual couples who believe in the institution of marriage and/or choose to participate in it, it represents a public celebration of one’s commitment to their life partner. Same sex couples have every right to enjoy this benefit, as they are legal citizens and members of society as well. Anti-same sex marriage laws and bans don’t just disadvantage couples who wish to marry, but they discriminate against members of the LGBT community as well. The negative consequences and tribulations they must go through when faced with the prospect of marriage may discourage them completely from it, and the discrimination that abounds because these inequalities still stand greatly affect even single LGBT people. Around 60 years ago, it was illegal to marry interracially. As times change and our society develops, people see that equality needs more of a voice. Modern society recognizes the injustice of racial discrimination, especially so when it comes to marriage. Today’s concerns regarding same-sex marriage are the same in that no government has the right to deny marriage between two individuals who care and love each other, for to do so is to infringe upon our fundamental rights. For as long as these legal inequalities and discriminations stand, we send the message that homosexual couples are inferior and unequal to their heterosexual counterparts, which is a violation of basic human rights. Indeed, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., "When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom."

对于相信婚姻制度以及选择步入婚姻殿堂的异性恋人来说，婚姻代表了他们对终生伴侣的承诺得到了公开庆祝。同性恋人有权享受这一点，因为他们也是合法公民，也是社会的一份子。反对同性婚姻的法律及禁令，不仅是对渴望结婚的情侣们权利的损害，而且是对同性恋群体成员的歧视。同性婚姻不合法，他/她们必然受到负面影响，遭遇一些磨难，因而可能会完全打消结婚的念头；而且由不平等导致的许多歧视依然存在，甚至对同性恋群体的单身成员造成巨大影响。约60年前，异族通婚还是违法的。随着时代变迁，社会发展，人们会意识到仍需要更多的人呼吁平等。现代社会认识到了由种族歧视导致的不平等，尤其是在婚姻问题上。任何一个政府都无权否认相爱双方缔结的婚姻，因为这是在侵犯我们的基本权利，在这点上，同性婚姻问题也是如此。只要法律上的不平等与歧视依然存在，我们就会告以世人：同性恋人与异性恋人相较而言是弱势的，是不平等的，而这有悖于基本的人权。的确如此，马丁·路德·金（Martin Luther King Jr.）曾提到，“当一个社会禁止我和某个人结婚时，就已经剥夺了我的一部分自由。”

1. Promotes Family Stability

1.促进家庭稳定

The legalization of same sex marriage does not harm other heterosexual marriages nor will it cause the downfall of society. The fact that it has been allowed in half the states in the U.S. and yet the apocalypse has not arrived stands testament to this. The fact that a same sex couples can get married and celebrate their love will not affect what you do in your marriage. Many fear that the legalization of same sex marriage may harm "family values", "traditional marriage" or other heterosexual marriages, but we have shown that this is not true. In fact, a 2009 study published in the Social Science Quarterly stated how "[l]aws permitting same-sex marriage or civil unions have no adverse effect on marriage, divorce, and abortion rates, [or] the percent of children born out of wedlock." In fact, legalizing same sex marriages will help promote the stability of family units in a country. We reiterate that the children of today are the future of tomorrow. Currently, numerous same sex couples are raising children, and for those who live in states where their marriage is not recognized, it invalidates their nature as a family, The child may grow up confused and the brunt of discrimination and LGBT hate, which is unfounded and generalized negativity. Marriage at its core seeks to let couples celebrate their love and provide them with social support and marital rights to protect and validate their nature as a family. Denying same sex couples equal marriage rights automatically disadvantages the children that they may already be rearing, and takes away the support systems they rightfully receive. If we legalize same sex marriage, it would help fight this and validate the LGBT family units.

同性婚姻合法化既不会危害到异性婚姻，也不会造成社会的毁灭。美国已有半数州承认同性婚姻合法，但《启示录》中的世界末日没有到来（译注：《启示录》中提到将针对那些刚硬不化的世人施行空前末有的大灾难，以审判他们），这就是证明。同性恋人结婚、庆祝他/她们的爱情并不影响人们在婚姻中的表现。许多人担心，同性婚姻合法化会破坏“家庭价值观”、“传统婚姻”或异性婚姻，但我们已经证实事实并非如此。实际上，2009年发表于《社会科学季刊》(Social Science Quarterly)的一项研究表明，“法律允许同性结婚或民事结合对结婚率、离婚率、堕胎率或非婚生子女所占比率并无负面影响”。事实上，同性婚姻合法化有助于促进国内家庭的稳定。我们再次重申：孩子就是未来。近年来，许多同性恋人会抚养孩子，而有些国家并不承认同性婚姻，对于那里的同性恋人来说，他/她们的家庭得不到法律认可，其孩子在成长过程中会感到困惑，会受到歧视及仇视同性恋群体的冲击，尽管二者都是毫无事实根据的一般否定观点（译注：一般否定观点由Carl & Aronson(1963)提出，是指如预期与绩效表现之间有任何差异，不管这差距的大小与差距为何，顾客皆对该产品采取一致性地否定的态度）。婚姻的核心是让恋人庆祝他们的爱情，给他们提供社会支持，授予其保障和认可这个家庭的同居权。否认同性恋人拥有平等的婚姻权，会损害孩子的权利，或许他们理应在被抚养过程中得到的支持与资助已经被剥夺了。同性婚姻合法化将有助于改变这一现状，使同性恋爱的家庭得到法律认可。