VOA常速英语2013--参议院有望通过同性恋就业保护（在线收听）

Employment Protections for Gays Expected to Pass US Senate 参议院有望通过同性恋就业保护

CAPITOL HILL — A bill to protect gay and trans-gendered Americans from workplace discrimination is expected to pass the Senate this week, but stall in the House of Representatives.The Employment Non-Discrimination Act - known as "ENDA" - is viewed by some as an overdue advance for civil rights, and by others as an unnecessary and unwise federal intrusion into the workforce.

Gay Americans have won the right to serve openly in the military and the right to marry in a growing number of states. But many are still fearful at their jobs, according to activist Sarah Warbelow.

美国同性恋赢得了在军队公开服役的权利，以及在越来越多的州结婚的权利，但很多人仍担心就业，活动人士Sarah Warbelow如是说。

“They [gays] want to be judged on the basis of their skills, their talents and their efforts, not on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” she said.

“他们希望通过自身的技能、天赋和努力来被评判，而不是基于性取向或性别身份。”

In most U.S. states, a worker can be denied a job or fired because he or she is gay or trans-gendered. ENDA would ban such discrimination nationwide with exemptions for religious organizations. The bill has the backing of President Barack Obama and all Senate Democrats, including Tom Harkin.

在美国大多数州，一名工人可能因为是同性恋、变性人而被拒绝工作或遭解雇。ENDA法案将在全国禁止这些歧视，宗教组织除外。该法案得到总统巴拉克·奥巴马和包括汤姆·哈金在内的全体参议院民主党的支持。

"Too many of our fellow-citizens are being judged, not by what they can contribute to the workplace, but by whom they are and who they choose to love,” said Harkin.

“太多的公民不是以对工作的贡献被评判，而是被自己的身份和恋爱对象来判断。”

Susan Collins is among a small group of Republican senators supporting ENDA. "The right to work is fundamental. How can we in good conscience deny that right to any LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gendered] American who is qualified and willing to work?”

苏珊·科林是支持ENDA的少数共和党参议员群体中的一员，“工作是基本权利，我们怎能凭着良心拒绝给那些够资格且愿意工作的美国LGBT人士工作机会呢？”

Senate ENDA opponents have been largely silent. But in the Republican-led House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner issued a statement saying the bill would encourage frivolous lawsuits and harm job creation. ENDA is unlikely to get a House vote absent Boehner’s support.

反对ENDA的参议员们大都沉默，但在共和党领导的众议院，议长约翰·博纳发表声明，称该法案将鼓励轻佻的诉讼并损害创造就业。没有博纳的支持，ENDA不大可能得到众议院的投票。

Some argue anti-discrimination laws can backfire by making employers fearful of the very groups the measures seek to protect.

有的人坚称反歧视法可能会产生相反的后果，会使雇员害怕这些措施反对的组织。

Analyst Walter Olson said, “For example, age discrimination law was intended to make it easier for older workers in the workforce. In practice, problems of older workers have gotten worse since that law was passed. And one reason is that they are seen as legally dangerous by employers [who worry] 'Gee, if they do not work out, they are a walking lawsuit'."

分析家奥尔森说，“比如，年龄歧视法意在使得老年工人更容易找工作，而在实践中，该法通过后老年员工的问题更糟糕。一个原因就是，他们被雇主视为危险分子，‘看吧，如果他们不工作，他们就是活生生的诉讼案。’”

Olson added that Americans already have become far more accepting of gay people, making ENDA unnecessary.

奥尔森说，美国人已经进一步接受了同性恋人士，这样ENDA就没有存在的必要。

The Senate’s only openly-gay member, Tammy Baldwin, said the measure will ensure dignity in the workplace "We [gay people] want to live in a country where we are respected for who we are. Where we enjoy freedom and opportunity because that is who we are as Americans."

参议院唯一公开的同性恋人士塔米·鲍德温说这些措施能确保工作场合的尊严，“我们同性恋者希望生活在尊重我们本来面目的国家里，让我们能享受自由和机会，因为这是我们美国人的本色。”

Current federal law already protects workers on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age and disability.  

目前的联邦法已经在基于种族、宗教、出身国、年龄和残疾对劳动者进行保护。

ENDA was initially championed by former Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy in the 1990s. Political observers say many lawmakers now willing to cast votes for gay rights would not have done so just a decade ago. 

ENDA最初是前民主党参议员爱德华·肯尼迪于20世纪90年代提出的，政治观察家说现在许多愿意为同性恋权利投票的议员在10年前是不会这么做的。