白宫启用中性厕所

The White House announced on Wednesday a gender-neutral bathroom is now available at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The decision to open such a restroom was made, according to reports, to protect the rights of LGBT members.

美国白宫9日宣布，将在白宫艾森豪威尔行政大楼启用"中性厕所"(neutral)，让不同性别及性向者有更弹性的选择。据悉，增设中性厕所是为了保障男女同性恋者、双性恋者与跨性别者(LGBT)的利益。

The site is in an area where White House personnel offices are located along with meeting spaces.According to CNN, the White House presently permits their staff and guests to use bathrooms that their gender identity applies to.

洗手间的位置临近白宫人事部门办公室和会议区。据美国有线电视资讯网(CNN)报道，白宫允许政府雇员和访客根据"自己所认定的性别身份"自由地选择洗手间。

"The White House allows staff and guests to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity, which is in keeping with the Administration’s existing legal guidance on this issue and consistent with what is required by the Executive Order that took effect today for federal contractors," White House spokesman Jeff Tiller told CNN. "In addition, an all-gender restroom is also available in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which provides guests and staff an additional option."

"白宫允许政府雇员和访客根据自己所认定的性别身份自由地选择洗手间，符合当局目前在这一问题上的指导，同时也是白宫落实刚生效的行政命令的最新表现。"白宫的发言人杰夫·提勒告诉CNN，"此外，在艾森豪威尔行政办公楼里有一个各性别通用的洗手间也供使用，为工作人员和访客提供了一个额外的选择。"

Responding most recently to a petition on WeThePeople.gov, the White House is seeking to prohibit therapies directed at changing the sexual orientation of young individuals, The New York Times reports. The petition, which has over 100,000 signatures, asked for lawmakers in Washington to write up and pass a bill called "Leelah’s Law."

据《纽约时报》报道，为了回应最近在WeThePeople.gov上的一份请愿书，白宫正力图禁止针对改变年轻人性取向的治疗。有十万多人在请愿书上签名，要求华盛顿的立法者补写并通过一个名为"Leelah’s Law"的法案。

White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett wrote in response to the petition, "We share your concern about its potentially devastating effects on the lives of transgender as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer youth."

白宫高级顾问瓦莱丽·贾勒特在回应请愿书时写到："我和你一样为潜在的破坏性而担心，担心对跨性别者以及男同性恋、女同性恋、双性恋和同性恋青年的生活造成影响。"

Jarrett explained, "When assessing the validity of conversion therapy, or other practices that seek to change an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation, it is as imperative to seek guidance from certified medical experts." She added, "The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm.

贾勒特解释道："评价改变年轻人性取向治疗的有效性，或是其他试图改变个人性别认同或性取向的实践时，寻求认证医疗专家的指导是很有必要的。"她还表示，"大量的科学证据表明，转换治疗，尤其是针对年轻人的治疗，无论是在医学上还是道德上都是不合适的，还会造成实质性的伤害。"

Jarrett concluded in the statement, "As part of our dedication to protecting America’s youth, this Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors."

贾勒特在声明中总结道："保护美国的年轻人是我们使命的一部分，政府支持禁止对未成年人使用转换治疗的各种努力。"

Vocabulary

LGBT: 同性恋、双性恋及变性者(Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender)

conversion therapy: 性倾向转变疗法