VOA标准英语2014--Recent Announcements Give Boost to Gay Rights Advocates 为同性恋者争取合理的权利

 

Recent Announcements Give Boost to Gay Rights Advocates 为同性恋者争取合理的权利

A pair of high-profile announcements, one from the government and the other from an athlete, have bolstered¹ gay rights advocates in the United States.

Married same-sex couples in the United States will be entitled to more benefits because of a new Justice Department policy, announced on Saturday, that expands federal recognition of same sex marriages.

The new guidelines will allow these couples, for example, to jointly² file for bankruptcy³ and will give them more rights in the criminal justice system.  

"This policy has important real-world implications for same-sex married couples that interact with the criminal justice system," said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder⁴, who heads the Justice Department. For instance, as a result of this policy, the Department will recognize that same-sex spouses⁶ of individuals involved in civil and criminal cases should have the same legal rights as all other married couples."

....such as the right not to testify against a spouse⁵ in court.

On Sunday a top college football player revealed that he's gay. The announcement from University of Missouri's Michael Sam could mean he'd become the first openly gay player on a National Football League team, if he's drafted.

First lady Michelle Obama praised Sam in a Tweet.

The NFL has put out a statement welcoming Sam. But there already is an anonymous⁷ chorus of NFL insiders saying the league is not ready.

Nevertheless, the Human Rights Campaign's Paul Guequierre said the two announcements show greater acceptance of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.

"The American public has really embraced LGBT equality," he said. "We still have a lot of work to do, but these are two signs that we are on the right path."

But Chris Gacek of the conservative Family Research Council said the announcements do not indicate a widespread change in sentiment.  

"I think this sort of general argument that there is this great wave kind of sweeping⁸ over the country does not really strike me as true. I think most people still think of marriage as still being between a man and a woman," Gacek said.

 

Ultimately, experts say, it will be up to the U.S. Supreme⁹ Court to make a final decision, at least on gay marriage.

1 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

2 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

3 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

4 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

5 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

6 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

7 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。