美国国家公共电台 NPR U.K. Bridal Boutique Celebrates Wedding Dresses And Wheelchairs

 

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

In the town of Portishead, England, a small bridal shop made a big statement with their window display.

SARAH PARKER: We didn't feel we were doing anything that was really outside of the norm. But obviously, it is.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Sarah Parker is the co-owner of a boutique called The White Collection. Earlier this month, Sarah and her sister Laura Allen rearranged the mannequins.

PARKER: One side, a model stood in quite a big, traditional wedding dress. And the other window, we have a mannequin sat down in a wheel chair.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: They didn't think it was that big a deal. That's until artist Beth Wilson, who uses a wheelchair, tweeted a photo of the display she wrote. It shouldn't be exciting, but it's the first time I've ever seen disability portrayed¹ in a shop window. Her post got a lot of attention.

PARKER: That's created this absolute frenzy² and this outpouring of messages on this debate that this shouldn't be an unusual thing to see in a shop window.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Maria Coehlo called the store to tell them how much it meant to her.

MARIA COEHLO: I thought, good grief. Someone has just normalized that wheelchair, and that normalizes my daughter.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Coehlo's daughter has juvenile³ arthritis⁴ and at 17 began using a wheelchair.

COEHLO: People's perception of her has changed because the mobility⁵ aid is what they perceive. They don't see the vibrant⁶, beautiful, intelligent, incredible human being that uses the tool as a way of getting around.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Coehlo hopes that stores everywhere follow suit. In the meantime, shop owner Sarah Parker says a stream of visitors have taken pictures with the display, including at least one little girl who also uses a wheelchair.

1 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 frenzy   

n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动

参考例句：

• He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
• They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

3 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

4 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

5 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

6 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。