同性恋婚姻合法化的十大理由(上)

The growing need for LGBT rights has become much more apparent, what with increased awareness and the exposition of vicious hate crimes against this particular demographic. More and more people, even those who are not part of the LGBT community, recognize that these crimes violate basic human rights and have begun to take a stand against it. As such, the topic of same-sex marriage is highly controversial these days. The movement in defense of gay rights in the United States began in 1969 during the Stonewall Riots. This is often dubbed the "Rosa Parks" moment of the gay rights movement, when members of the LGBT community protested after a police raid in Stonewall Inn, one of the few establishments that welcomed openly gay patrons at the time. To better understand this event, take note that it occurRed in the same period when other social rights movements were reaching their turning point.

随着同性恋者权利意识的觉醒以及针对这一特殊群体的仇视性犯罪的不断发生，如何处理同性恋者（译注：LGBT分别是lesbian,gay, bisexual, transgender or transsexual的首字母组合，分别意为蕾丝，基友，双性恋，易性癖）不断增长的利益诉求便显得尤为重要。越来越多的人（包括非同性恋者在内）认为这些犯罪侵犯了基本人权，于是开始反对同性恋暴力。正因如此，同性婚姻问题成了这段时间以来最具争议性的话题。

The African American Civil Rights Movement and the Anti-war demonstrations were very active at that point in time. Homosexuals faced persecution both socially and legally, and it was illegal to have homosexual relations in every state but Illinois. It has been 45 years, and only half the states now allow same-sex marriages. These years have marked the build-up for a voice for this community, both within and without it, and the same-sex community of today receive much more recognition and rights than the bleak prospects of the LGBT living in the 1960s. Here, we present to you the top 10 reasons why same-sex marriage ought to be fully legalized.

美国的同性恋权利运动始于1969年的石墙暴乱（Stonewall Riots）。石墙酒吧是那时为数不多的几个向同性恋开放的场所之一，1969年的6月27日当天，警察在逮捕同性恋者时首次遭到拒绝，这就使得石墙暴乱如黑人民权运动的罗莎·帕克斯事件一般成为美国同性恋权利运动的起点。（罗莎·帕克斯Rosa Parks，是一位黑人女裁缝，因为在阿拉巴马州（Alabama）蒙哥马利（Montgomery）市的城市公交车上拒绝向一名白人男子让座，而最终神话般引发了美国五六十年代的黑人民权运动。）想要透彻理解此次事件的意义，就一定要注意其发生的特殊时间段——其他社会权利运动正走向转折之时。那时，黑人的民权运动以及反战争示威游行正如火如荼地进行。而同性恋者却承受着来自于社会和法律的双重压力，除伊利诺伊州外，同性恋爱在其他各州都被认定为违法。已经45年过去了，但目前全美也只有一半的州准许同性结婚。这些年来，不管是同性恋者还是非同性恋者，为同性恋群体争取权利的呼声都日益高涨。相较于60年代同性恋者暗无天日的生活，这一群体如今得到了更广泛的理解和接受，也拥有了更多的权利。接下来，让我们来为您呈现同性婚姻应当合法化的十大理由。

注：本文转载自前十网，译者：落月，小飞侠，刘洋，瓜瓜，旭旭

10. Economic Benefits of Marriage

10．同性婚姻带来经济利益

Not many people know this, but legalizing same sex marriages would provide a significant financial boom for both the private and public sector. Members of the LGBT community wish to marry for the same reasons we all wish to get married, and must undergo the same processes if they were allowed to marry. Part of these processes is the financial aspect. Marriage ceremonies entail a significant expense, and it was estimated by the Comptroller of New York that the added infusion from legalizing same sex couple marriages would add $142 million to the economy. This not only accounts for the profits that businesses will receive if same-sex marriage is allowed, but also for the payments these couples must make to acquire marriage licenses. They will also experience higher income taxes as a couple, and different state benefit programs would decrease their costs significantly.

也许多数人并不了解这一情况，但同性婚姻合法化确实能够促进经济的繁荣发展，无论是从私人角度还是公众角度。同性恋者怀揣着跟我们同样的理由、同样的期待，渴望步入婚姻的殿堂。因而一旦获得允许，他们必然也会遵循同样的步骤结婚。而在这进程中，某些环节是需要“大出血”的，仅婚礼一项就花费不菲。据纽约的一位审计官估计，如果同性婚姻能够合法化，将带来1亿4千2百万美元的经济收益。这不仅包括同性婚姻合法化带来的商业利润，还算上了这些新人为取得结婚证的支出。作为夫妻，他们还必须承担更高的个人所得税，同时也可以享受到不同的政府福利项目以开源节流。

9. Prevents Benefit Exclusion Marriage

9. 缩减单身者额外开支

Family is a recognized institution of society, but no government has the right to force it upon people. Conversely, no government has the right to exclude someone from participating in this institution simply because of a particular community they belong to as this is tantamount to discrimination. However, this exclusion is very real for as long as same-sex marriages remain illegal in various states, and the ramifications extend beyond the simple recognition of a couple’s relationship. Marriage provides benefits for aspects like inheritance, taxation, financial and physical protection in appropriate cases (e.g. abusive relationships, allocation of financial assets in case relationship ends, etc.) and even hospital visitation rights (marriage considers you as part of the immediate family of the person). The denial of these benefits create a very real economic cost as well, as the LGBT couples must expend resources (estimated by the New York Times to reach up to $467,562 in their lifetime) as opposed to a legally married couple.

家庭是社会的组成结构，但政府无权强迫人们结婚。反之亦然，政府同样无权仅因同性恋者属于特殊群体就排斥其组建家庭，因为这与歧视无异。然而，只要同性婚姻在许多国家还是非法的，这种排斥就会真实的存在，毕竟这种关系远远超出了人们对于普通夫妻关系的理解和认知。婚姻关系在发生两性暴力、离婚分割财产等情况下，能够为当事人带来诸如继承、税务、财务和人身保障等方面的益处。而且婚姻使得夫妻双方互为对方的直系亲属，因而获得医院探视权。如果否定这些权益将切实增加一大笔经济支出，据《纽约时报》估算，一对同性恋人为了成为合法夫妻，一生中需支出高达467,562美元的费用。

8. "Traditional Marriage" Concept is Historically Inaccurate

8.“传统婚姻”观念是极其不准确的

There are various reasons while people oppose same-sex marriage, but a common argument of opponents is that the alteration of the traditional views on marriage may weaken the institution and lead to polygamy and even interspecies marriages. Consider this: what is a "traditional marriage"? While many think that this has always been defined as one man and one woman, this is a historically inaccurate misconception. Literature and various artifacts throughout the years of human existence are a testament to the prevalence of forms of marriage that today, would be considered "unconventional" despite being traditional for their time. From a purely biological standpoint, heterosexual monogamy can be seen as unnatural when we consider the common occurrence of polyamorous societies, concubines, communal child-rearing and the like throughout history and evolution. Our society allows people who barely know each other to get married and separate only a few months later. Which is more likely to weaken the institution of marriage- a male and female couple with this flippant attitude or two members of the LGBT community who are willing to take the risk of judgment and discrimination, simply to fight for the recognition of their relationship?

当人们反对同性之间的婚姻时，总能提出一大堆理由，而他们普遍认为传统婚姻观念的改变是一种伤风败俗的行为，有可能导致一夫多妻甚至人与动物成婚的奇景。让我们想一想，什么是传统婚姻呢？好吧，也许许多人心里早将之定义为一个男人和一个女人的结合，其实这是错误的。在人类繁衍的数千年历史中，许多文学作品和文物记录着那时的传统婚姻形式，但与今日所流行的相比，却又显得如此格格不入了。从纯粹的生物学角度看，纵观历史的变迁和人类的演化，一夫多妻，妻妾成群，一大家和睦共处的情况屡见不鲜，倒是如今的一夫一妻制显得不太自然。我们现在所处社会允许人们闪婚之后再闪离，这种异性之间草率的行为和两位来自同性恋群体(LGBT community )的伴侣，甘冒天下之大不韪，努力让世人接受他们的关系比较来看，哪种更应该视作伤风败俗呢？

7. Society Evolves, Marriage is Redefined

7.社会进步，婚姻需重新定义

Building on the previous item, the concept of marriage is constantly redefined, just as society evolves and grows. In the past, many cases of marriages were harmful to the various constituents involved (at times to the extent of being non-consensual like in arranged marriages) and yet their respective societies recognized them. Why do today’s laws refuse two individuals who truly and honestly want to make their union work? Many Americans now support same-sex marriage as compared to the sentiment of the past, which ostracized various cultures for their unconventionality. In May 2013, Gallup conducted a poll that found that more than half Americans support same-sex marriage. Until 1967, interracial marriage was also still illegal in several US states. In 1970, no-fault divorce was introduced on January 1 in California, and has dynamically affected the institution of marriage. These are just a few examples of how marriage and other institutions of society adapt and change over time. It would be backward to think that one definition can remain relevant for all time, especially given that change is the only constant in our dynamic world.

正因为社会的进步和发展，婚姻的定义也在不断更新。在过去，如此之多的婚姻悲剧都是由许许多多因素构成，甚至有时成亲双方都不自愿，即包办婚姻，而那时的社会却默许这种行为。可为什么如今的法律却把两个真心相爱的人束之于道德与法律的高阁？相较过往排斥多元文化的观点而言，很多美国人现在都很支持同性婚姻。2013年5月，由盖洛普民意测验公司(Gallup,美国统计学家，盖洛普民意测验创始人)发起的一项调查显示，超过半数美国人都支持同性婚姻。直到1967年，不同种族的婚姻在美国的某些州仍属非法行为。1970年1月1日，加州首次提出无过错离婚，这对婚姻制度产生了一些潜移默化的影响。随着时间的推移，婚姻和社会制度与时俱进的例子寥寥无几。墨守陈规就意味着落后，尤其是在这个动态的世界上，唯一不变的只有变化。