同性戀婚姻合法化的十大理由(下)

6. The Constitution is Committed to Liberty and Equality

6.憲法以保證人們的自由和平等爲前提

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.

作爲生活在同一地方的居民，同性伴侶應該和異性戀伴侶或者非同志羣體享有相同的權利。若一個城市允許其居民結婚的話，那麼同樣是合法居民，爲什麼僅僅因爲這類人的性取向有所不同就將他們的婚姻視爲非法呢？在這種背景下，同性戀婚姻應運而生，以下這點便印證了美國憲法是以保證公民的自由和平等爲前提的。1974年最高法院規定，任何公民都有選擇婚姻和家庭生活的自由，而這項自由受到正當程序條款的保護。促使反同性戀婚姻情緒的高漲的行爲和頒佈同性戀婚姻禁令都是違憲的行爲。

注：本文轉載自前十網，譯者：落月，小飛俠，劉洋，瓜瓜，旭旭

5. Illegal Marriage is a form of Discrimination

5. 將同性婚姻視爲非法也是一種歧視

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.

在美國，僅有25個州和華盛頓哥倫比亞特區承認同性戀婚姻合法，其餘的25個州至今爲止仍宣稱同性戀婚姻不合法，並且在其法律中包含多種形式的禁令和憲法修正案。那些支持同性戀婚姻的人認爲，同性伴侶有權利和其他夫妻一樣享有相同的權利並且受到社會的認可，他們是享有權利的個體，也同樣是這個國家的公民。當你阻止同性伴侶結婚的時候，就傳遞了這樣一種信息，因同性伴侶的性取向而歧視他們是可以的，是正確的。更爲糟糕的是，這也同樣表示，如果某些人被他人確定爲同志羣體其中一員的話，他們便會低人一等。因爲否定他們理應享有的權利，這實際上便說明，法律已經不將他們視爲平等公民了。這告訴了其他公民，僅通過你對他們生活的片面瞭解（如特殊的性取向）而迅速作出判斷，以此對他們指手畫腳都是可以的。而這些判斷會造成很嚴重的後果，很可能會影響一個人的一生。在工作單位遭到歧視，也會影響到一個人的經濟地位或精神健康，尤其是當這些評判毫無顧忌地，一直反覆地出現在一個人的生活中時。如果一個人屬於同志羣體的話，那麼他在學習和工作中受到的歧視可能會達到了一種令人驚奇的程度。同時保衛婚姻平等之戰能夠離獲得平等權利更近一步，而這平等的權利則標誌着這個社會是一個更爲民主，人性化的社會。

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

4.同性婚姻給待領養孩子帶來福音

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？！僅僅在美國就有大約10萬名兒童滿懷期望地等待着自己被領養的那一天。我們是不是經常會聽到人們抱怨體制的無能，收養中心裏無數的孤兒或兒童因體制的不健全而錯失被領養的機會？如果說孩子確實是我們的未來，那麼我們有什麼理由不爲留守在收養中心的孩子們找到能夠給予他們愛和支持的養父母呢？同性婚姻合法化將有利於所有非異性戀的夫婦領養孩子。同性婚姻合法化將允許穩定的同性戀家庭收養迄今也沒有家的孩子。那些反對同性戀和同性婚姻的人們可能會質疑，同性戀家長會給孩子造成許多問題和困難，但是經證明這是無稽之談。因爲他們的爭議是建立在同性家長會對領養的孩子造成本質上的影響並且會給孩子帶來許多麻煩，以及同性夫婦相對於異性夫婦貧窮的可能性更大的假設之上的。你稍稍觀察一下這個假設，就會發現這個假設的邏輯多麼不堪推敲了。只是爲了慶祝他們的愛情，同性戀伴侶都願意去直面歧視，爲自己爭取權利；這樣的他們難道不會給他們領養的孩子同樣濃烈的愛嘛？《兒童科》（Pediatrics）在2010年發佈了一項調查研究，結果發現女同性戀母親們領養的孩子相較於異性戀夫婦的孩子學習能力和社交能力更強。同年7月的一項類似研究也表明，同性戀父親們領養的孩子和異性夫婦的孩子一樣健康。事實上，這些孩子常常更能夠理解別人，他們很少去評價同齡人，一直展現出積極，和諧的面貌。收養中心和寄養家庭的孩子們通常特別渴望有一對好父母的關愛。同性戀伴侶渴望愛情的結晶，能夠讓孩子見證他們的愛。同性戀合法化這麼兩全其美的事情，我們有什麼理由不同意呢？我們有什麼理由不幫助同性戀夫婦和留守孤兒們找到彼此呢？事實上，同性結婚合法化還會便於監管對孩子的照顧，就像兒童保護機構可以監管甚至可能干預異性家庭對孩子的照顧一樣。此外，當孩子們看到他們父母的結合被社會認可時，孩子也將大大受益，並且可以緩解孩子們可能受到的歧視和羞辱。

3. Legalization Can Decrease the Rate of Psychological Disorder

3.合法化會降低心理疾病率

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.

作爲權利被認可的合法公民，我們能夠得到社會的大力支持。在許多國家，沒有政府或社會制度是完美的，但至少能夠得到公認的最基本權利這一點意義重大。在前面的例子中我們已經說明了最基本權利如何遠遠超出了個人價值的實現，這還將會影響工作，學習，甚至一個人的心理健康。能夠得到被認可的婚姻關係對同性戀伴侶們生理和心理有一定益處。從一個簡單的層面上來看，當涉及到財產和公共權益時，同性戀伴侶減少了許多法律上的困難。同性婚姻合法化還有助於同性戀伴侶們遺產繼承問題的解決。美國心理協會以及其他許多著名組織於2007年公佈聲明，接受同性婚姻會幫助同性戀伴侶獲得社會支持甚至可以幫助他們獲得更健康的婚姻關係。這種支持給同性戀人們帶來了很多生理和心理益處，《美國公共衛生期刊》(the American Journal of Public Health)證實了這一發現。一些國家發佈同性婚姻禁令後，生活在這些國家的同性伴侶心理障礙率上升了37%，廣泛性焦慮症也增加了248%。這源於同性婚姻禁令和一些反同性婚姻的法律所造成的歧視和質疑。從心理層面上來看，許多同性戀人反映，禁止同性婚姻就好像在標明同性戀都是低人一等，不懂愛情，功能不健全，關係不穩定似的。同性婚姻合法化會給我們的體制帶來巨大的轉變，也將大大改變我們看待事情的方式！

2. Aligned with Human Rights

2.符合人權

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."

對於相信婚姻制度以及選擇步入婚姻殿堂的異性戀人來說，婚姻代表了他們對終生伴侶的承諾得到了公開慶祝。同性戀人有權享受這一點，因爲他們也是合法公民，也是社會的一份子。反對同性婚姻的法律及禁令，不僅是對渴望結婚的情侶們權利的損害，而且是對同性戀羣體成員的歧視。同性婚姻不合法，他/她們必然受到負面影響，遭遇一些磨難，因而可能會完全打消結婚的念頭；而且由不平等導致的許多歧視依然存在，甚至對同性戀羣體的單身成員造成巨大影響。約60年前，異族通婚還是違法的。隨着時代變遷，社會發展，人們會意識到仍需要更多的人呼籲平等。現代社會認識到了由種族歧視導致的不平等，尤其是在婚姻問題上。任何一個政府都無權否認相愛雙方締結的婚姻，因爲這是在侵犯我們的基本權利，在這點上，同性婚姻問題也是如此。只要法律上的不平等與歧視依然存在，我們就會告以世人：同性戀人與異性戀人相較而言是弱勢的，是不平等的，而這有悖於基本的人權。的確如此，馬丁·路德·金（Martin Luther King Jr.）曾提到，“當一個社會禁止我和某個人結婚時，就已經剝奪了我的一部分自由。”

1. Promotes Family Stability

1.促進家庭穩定

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會危害到異性婚姻，也不會造成社會的毀滅。美國已有半數州承認同性婚姻合法，但《啓示錄》中的世界末日沒有到來（譯註：《啓示錄》中提到將針對那些剛硬不化的世人施行空前末有的大災難，以審判他們），這就是證明。同性戀人結婚、慶祝他/她們的愛情並不影響人們在婚姻中的表現。許多人擔心，同性婚姻合法化會破壞“家庭價值觀”、“傳統婚姻”或異性婚姻，但我們已經證實事實並非如此。實際上，2009年發表於《社會科學季刊》(Social Science Quarterly)的一項研究表明，“法律允許同性結婚或民事結合對結婚率、離婚率、墮胎率或非婚生子女所佔比率並無負面影響”。事實上，同性婚姻合法化有助於促進國內家庭的穩定。我們再次重申：孩子就是未來。近年來，許多同性戀人會撫養孩子，而有些國家並不承認同性婚姻，對於那裏的同性戀人來說，他/她們的家庭得不到法律認可，其孩子在成長過程中會感到困惑，會受到歧視及仇視同性戀羣體的衝擊，儘管二者都是毫無事實根據的一般否定觀點（譯註：一般否定觀點由Carl & Aronson(1963)提出，是指如預期與績效表現之間有任何差異，不管這差距的大小與差距爲何，顧客皆對該產品採取一致性地否定的態度）。婚姻的核心是讓戀人慶祝他們的愛情，給他們提供社會支持，授予其保障和認可這個家庭的同居權。否認同性戀人擁有平等的婚姻權，會損害孩子的權利，或許他們理應在被撫養過程中得到的支持與資助已經被剝奪了。同性婚姻合法化將有助於改變這一現狀，使同性戀愛的家庭得到法律認可。