同性戀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.

隨着同性戀者權利意識的覺醒以及針對這一特殊羣體的仇視性犯罪的不斷髮生，如何處理同性戀者（譯註：LGBT分別是lesbian,gay, bisexual, transgender or transsexual的首字母組合，分別意爲蕾絲，基友，雙性戀，易性癖）不斷增長的利益訴求便顯得尤爲重要。越來越多的人（包括非同性戀者在內）認爲這些犯罪侵犯了基本人權，於是開始反對同性戀暴力。正因如此，同性婚姻問題成了這段時間以來最具爭議性的話題。

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.

美國的同性戀權利運動始於1969年的石牆暴亂（Stonewall Riots）。石牆酒吧是那時爲數不多的幾個向同性戀開放的場所之一，1969年的6月27日當天，警察在逮捕同性戀者時首次遭到拒絕，這就使得石牆暴亂如黑人民權運動的羅莎·帕克斯事件一般成爲美國同性戀權利運動的起點。（羅莎·帕克斯Rosa Parks，是一位黑人女裁縫，因爲在阿拉巴馬州（Alabama）蒙哥馬利（Montgomery）市的城市公交車上拒絕向一名白人男子讓座，而最終神話般引發了美國五六十年代的黑人民權運動。）想要透徹理解此次事件的意義，就一定要注意其發生的特殊時間段——其他社會權利運動正走向轉折之時。那時，黑人的民權運動以及反戰爭示威遊行正如火如荼地進行。而同性戀者卻承受着來自於社會和法律的雙重壓力，除伊利諾伊州外，同性戀愛在其他各州都被認定爲違法。已經45年過去了，但目前全美也只有一半的州准許同性結婚。這些年來，不管是同性戀者還是非同性戀者，爲同性戀羣體爭取權利的呼聲都日益高漲。相較於60年代同性戀者暗無天日的生活，這一羣體如今得到了更廣泛的理解和接受，也擁有了更多的權利。接下來，讓我們來爲您呈現同性婚姻應當合法化的十大理由。

注：本文轉載自前十網，譯者：落月，小飛俠，劉洋，瓜瓜，旭旭

10. Economic Benefits of Marriage

10．同性婚姻帶來經濟利益

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.

也許多數人並不瞭解這一情況，但同性婚姻合法化確實能夠促進經濟的繁榮發展，無論是從私人角度還是公衆角度。同性戀者懷揣着跟我們同樣的理由、同樣的期待，渴望步入婚姻的殿堂。因而一旦獲得允許，他們必然也會遵循同樣的步驟結婚。而在這進程中，某些環節是需要“大出血”的，僅婚禮一項就花費不菲。據紐約的一位審計官估計，如果同性婚姻能夠合法化，將帶來1億4千2百萬美元的經濟收益。這不僅包括同性婚姻合法化帶來的商業利潤，還算上了這些新人爲取得結婚證的支出。作爲夫妻，他們還必須承擔更高的個人所得稅，同時也可以享受到不同的政府福利項目以開源節流。

9. Prevents Benefit Exclusion Marriage

9. 縮減單身者額外開支

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.

家庭是社會的組成結構，但政府無權強迫人們結婚。反之亦然，政府同樣無權僅因同性戀者屬於特殊羣體就排斥其組建家庭，因爲這與歧視無異。然而，只要同性婚姻在許多國家還是非法的，這種排斥就會真實的存在，畢竟這種關係遠遠超出了人們對於普通夫妻關係的理解和認知。婚姻關係在發生兩性暴力、離婚分割財產等情況下，能夠爲當事人帶來諸如繼承、稅務、財務和人身保障等方面的益處。而且婚姻使得夫妻雙方互爲對方的直系親屬，因而獲得醫院探視權。如果否定這些權益將切實增加一大筆經濟支出，據《紐約時報》估算，一對同性戀人爲了成爲合法夫妻，一生中需支出高達467,562美元的費用。

8. "Traditional Marriage" Concept is Historically Inaccurate

8.“傳統婚姻”觀念是極其不準確的

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?

當人們反對同性之間的婚姻時，總能提出一大堆理由，而他們普遍認爲傳統婚姻觀念的改變是一種傷風敗俗的行爲，有可能導致一夫多妻甚至人與動物成婚的奇景。讓我們想一想，什麼是傳統婚姻呢？好吧，也許許多人心裏早將之定義爲一個男人和一個女人的結合，其實這是錯誤的。在人類繁衍的數千年曆史中，許多文學作品和文物記錄着那時的傳統婚姻形式，但與今日所流行的相比，卻又顯得如此格格不入了。從純粹的生物學角度看，縱觀歷史的變遷和人類的演化，一夫多妻，妻妾成羣，一大家和睦共處的情況屢見不鮮，倒是如今的一夫一妻制顯得不太自然。我們現在所處社會允許人們閃婚之後再閃離，這種異性之間草率的行爲和兩位來自同性戀羣體(LGBT community )的伴侶，甘冒天下之大不韙，努力讓世人接受他們的關係比較來看，哪種更應該視作傷風敗俗呢？

7. Society Evolves, Marriage is Redefined

7.社會進步，婚姻需重新定義

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.

正因爲社會的進步和發展，婚姻的定義也在不斷更新。在過去，如此之多的婚姻悲劇都是由許許多多因素構成，甚至有時成親雙方都不自願，即包辦婚姻，而那時的社會卻默許這種行爲。可爲什麼如今的法律卻把兩個真心相愛的人束之於道德與法律的高閣？相較過往排斥多元文化的觀點而言，很多美國人現在都很支持同性婚姻。2013年5月，由蓋洛普民意測驗公司(Gallup,美國統計學家，蓋洛普民意測驗創始人)發起的一項調查顯示，超過半數美國人都支持同性婚姻。直到1967年，不同種族的婚姻在美國的某些州仍屬非法行爲。1970年1月1日，加州首次提出無過錯離婚，這對婚姻制度產生了一些潛移默化的影響。隨着時間的推移，婚姻和社會制度與時俱進的例子寥寥無幾。墨守陳規就意味着落後，尤其是在這個動態的世界上，唯一不變的只有變化。