Why we need gender-neutral bathrooms | Ivan Coyote

翻译人员: Hancheng Li 校对人员: Huazhe Xie

There are a few things that all of us need.

有些东西是我们 每个人都必不可少的。

We all need air to breathe.

我们需要可以呼吸的空气。

We need clean water to drink.

我们需要可以饮用的净水。

We need food to eat. We need shelter and love.

我们需要食物， 我们需要居所和他人的关爱。

You know. Love is great, too.

对吧？关爱也是很好的东西。

And we all need a safe place to pee.

我们还需要一个 可以安全地撒尿的地方。

(Laughter) Yeah?

（笑声）是吧？

As a trans person who doesn't fit neatly into the gender binary,

作为一个无法很好适应 性别二元论的跨性别者，

if I could change the world tomorrow

如果我马上能改变世界，

to make it easier for me to navigate,

让自己在其中更加自如，

the very first thing I would do

我所做的第一件事，

is blink and create single stall, gender-neutral bathrooms

一定是创造不分性别的卫生间隔间，

in all public places.

所有的公共场所都要有。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Trans people and trans issues,

跨性别者以及跨性别问题，

they've been getting a lot of mainstream media attention lately.

最近特别受到主流媒体的关注。

And this is a great and necessary thing,

这其实是个很有必要的好事，

but most of that attention has been focused

但大多数的关注度却只集中在

on a very few individuals,

很少的几个个体身上，

most of whom are kinda rich

这些人普遍都挺有钱的，

and pretty famous,

而且也挺出名，

and probably don't have to worry that much anymore about where they're going to pee

而且可能也不用对 在哪里撒尿这个问题操心太多，

他们不用在社区大学的课堂间穿行，

in between classes at their community college,

or where they're going to get changed into their gym strip

也不用在公立高中的健身房里

四处找地方换衣服。

at their public high school.

Fame and money insulates these television star trans people

名与利，让这些电视上的跨性别明星

from most of the everyday challenges

不用操心大多数的日常问题，

that the rest of us have to tackle on a daily basis.

而这些问题是我们其他跨性别者 天天都必须面对的。

Public bathrooms.

公共卫生间。

They've been a problem for me since as far back as I can remember,

自从我有记忆以来， 它们就是我要面对的一个问题，

first when I was just a little baby tomboy

从很久以前我还是个假小子的时候，

and then later as a masculine-appearing, predominantly estrogen-based organism.

到后来变成一个长得像男的， 却被雌性激素所支配的奇特有机体。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, today as a trans person, public bathrooms and change rooms

现在，作为一个跨性别者， 公共卫生间和更衣室

are where I am most likely to be questioned or harassed.

是我最有可能 受到质疑或被侵害的地方。

I've often been verbally attacked behind their doors.

我经常会遭受门后的人的言语攻击。

I've been hauled out by security guards with my pants still halfway pulled up.

我曾经在裤子才提起来一半的时候 就被警卫拖出来。

I've been stared at, screamed at, whispered about,

我被人盯着看、被人吼、 被人在背后说三道四，

and one time I got smacked in the face by a little old lady's purse

还有一次我被一个小老太太 拿手提包甩了一脸。

that from the looks of the shiner I took home that day

当我回家看到我的黑眼圈的时候，

I am pretty certain contained at least 70 dollars of rolled up small change

我敢打赌那个包里装着 至少70美元的零散硬币，

and a large hard candy collection.

还有全套的 Hard Candy牌化妆品。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And I know what some of you are thinking,

我知道你们有些人在想什么，

and you're mostly right.

而且其实你们挺对的。

I can and do just use the men's room most of the time these days.

我现在大部分时候 当然可以直接进男卫生间。

But that doesn't solve my change room dilemmas, does it?

但是到了更衣室里 我的情况还是很麻烦，不是吗？

And I shouldn't have to use the men's room because I'm not a man.

而且因为我不是一个男人， 所以我其实不应该进男卫生间。

I'm a trans person.

我是一个跨性别的人。

And now we've got these fearmongering politicians

现在我们又遇到了一些 专门制造恐慌的政治家，

that keep trying to pass these bathroom bills.

他们努力让一些 有关卫生间的法案通过。

Have you heard about these?

你们听说过吗？

They try to legislate to try and force people like myself

他们想要立法， 然后强迫像我这样的人

to use the bathroom that they deem most appropriate

使用他们觉得最合适我的卫生间，

according to the gender I was assigned at birth.

也就是依据出生时的性别来判断。

And if these politicians ever get their way,

这些政治家一旦得逞，

in Arizona or California or Florida

不论是在亚利桑那， 还是在加利福尼亚或是佛罗里达，

or just last week in Houston, Texas,

或者是上周在德克萨斯州的休斯顿，

or Ottawa,

还有渥太华，

well then, using the men's room will not be a legal option for me either.

那么好吧，对我来说进男卫生间 都是一个违法的事情了。

And every time one of these politicians brings one of these bills to the table,

每次我看到这些政治家 公开提出这样的一个法案，

I can't help but wonder, you know,

我就忍不住在思考了，

just who will and exactly how would we go about enforcing laws like these. Right?

到底有哪些人会去执行、 还有怎么执行这些法律？对吧？

Panty checks?

内裤检查？

Really.

开玩笑吧。

Genital inspections outside of bath change rooms at public pools?

在公共游泳池的更衣室外面 检查你的生殖器官？

There's no legal or ethical or plausible way

根本就没有一种合法的 或者是符合道德的方法

to enforce laws like these anyway.

来执行这样的法律。

They exist only to foster fear

它们的存在只能造成恐慌，

and promote transphobia.

而且让人更歧视跨性别者。

They don't make anyone safer.

它们不能让任何人更安全。

But they do for sure make the world more dangerous for some of us.

但是它们却让 我们某些人的世界更危险了。

And meanwhile, our trans children suffer.

与此同时，跨性别的孩子们在受苦。

They drop out of school, or they opt out of life altogether.

他们从学校辍学， 或者干脆就弃世而逃了。

Trans people, especially trans and gender-nonconforming youth

跨性别的人，特别是 有性别认知障碍的青少年，

face additional challenges when accessing pools and gyms,

当去到游泳池、健身房的时候 要面临更多的挑战，

but also universities,

去到大学也是，

hospitals, libraries.

还有医院、图书馆等等。

Don't even get me started on how they treat us in airports.

千万别跟我提 他们在机场是怎么对待我们的。

If we don't move now

如果我们不做出行动，

to make sure that these places

去让这些地方

are truly open and accessible to everyone,

真正的向每个人公平地开放，

then we just need to get honest

那么我们干脆诚实一点，

and quit calling them public places.

别叫它们“公共场所”了。

We need to just admit

我们只需要承认

that they are really only open for people

这些场所只是向那些

who fit neatly into one of two gender boxes,

可以按照两种性别归类的那些人开放。

which I do not.

而我不属于其中。

I never have.

我从来就不是。

And this starts very early.

很早以前就不是了。

I know a little girl. She's the daughter of a friend of mine.

我认识一个小女孩。 她是我一个朋友的女儿。

She's a self-identified tomboy.

她觉得自己是个假小子。

I'm talking about cowboy boots

她喜欢的东西，像牛仔靴，

and Caterpillar yellow toy trucks and bug jars, the whole nine yards.

还有黄色的卡特彼勒玩具卡车， 装昆虫的罐子之类的东西。

One time I asked her what her favorite color was.

有一次我问她最喜欢什么颜色，

She told me, "Camouflage."

她回答我说：“迷彩色。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So that awesome little kid,

就是这样一个棒棒的孩子，

she came home from school last October

她去年十月从学校回来，

from her half day of preschool

在幼儿园待了半天就回来了，

with soggy pants on because the other kids at school were harassing her

裤子上都湿漉漉的， 因为当她被逼去女洗手间的时候

when she tried to use the girls' bathroom.

学校里其他孩子都在调戏她。

And the teacher had already instructed her to stay out of the boys' bathroom.

老师之前已经警告过她 不要进男洗手间。

And she had drank two glasses of that red juice

她刚刚才喝完两杯蔓越橘果汁，

at the Halloween party,

万圣节派对上的那种，

and I mean, who can resist that red juice, right? It's so good.

你们想想看，谁能抵挡那种 果汁的诱惑呢？它味道好极了。

And she couldn't hold her pee any longer.

她真的是一刻都憋不住小便了。

Her and her classmates were four years old.

她和她的同学那时才四岁。

They already felt empowered enough

然而同学们已经觉得能够

to police her use of the so-called public bathrooms.

监管她如何使用 所谓“公共卫生间”。

She was four years old.

她才四岁啊。

She had already been taught the brutal lesson

她那时就已经学到了惨痛的教训，

that there was no bathroom door at preschool

幼儿园里没有一个卫生间

with a sign on it that welcomed people like her.

门上会挂着一个牌子写着 欢迎像她一样的人。

She'd already learned that bathrooms were going to be a problem,

她早就知道卫生间会是一个大问题，

and that problem started with her

而且是她所产生的问题，

and was hers alone.

也只有她要面对。

So my friend asked me to talk to her little daughter,

所以我的朋友请我 去跟她的小女儿好好聊聊，

and I did.

我就去了。

I wanted to tell her

我很想告诉她，

that me and her mom were going to march on down

我和她的妈妈会一起 气冲冲地跑到学校，

and talk to that school, and the problem was going to go away,

跟他们交涉， 最终一切问题都会解决的，

but I knew that wasn't true.

但我深知这是不可能的事。

I wanted to tell her that it was all going to get better when she got older,

我想告诉她，等她长大后 一切都会变得更好的，

but I couldn't.

但我说不出口。

So I asked her to tell me the story of what had happened,

所以我就问了她事情的经过，

asked her to tell me how it made her feel.

然后问她，这件事让她心里怎么想。

"Mad and sad,"

“又生气，又难过，”

she told me.

她这样告诉我。

So I told her

然后我就告诉她，

that she wasn't alone

她不是一个人，

and that it wasn't right what had happened to her,

在她身上发生的一切 都是不对的，

and then she asked me if I had ever peed in my pants before.

然后她就问我， 我以前有没有尿过裤子。

I said yes, I had,

我说有啊，当然有，

but not for a really long time.

只不过没有一次尿那么多。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Which of course was a lie,

当然了，这都是骗人的，

because you know how you hit, like, 42 or 43,

因为，你们想想看， 你们到了四十二三岁的时候，

and sometimes you just, I don't know, you pee a little bit

有时候你们就，怎么说好呢…… 你们咳嗽、打喷嚏的时候

when you cough or sneeze,

就会尿一点点，

when you're running upstairs, or you're stretching.

或者是跑上楼梯的时候， 做拉伸运动的时候。

Don't lie.

不要撒谎。

It happens. Right?

你们都做过这种事，对吧？

She doesn't need to know that, I figure.

我猜我都不用告诉她， 她自己早知道了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I told her, when you get older, your bladder is going to grow bigger, too.

我告诉她，等你长大了， 你的膀胱也会长大的。

When you get old like me,

等你像我一样年纪，

you're going to be able to hold your pee for way longer,

你憋尿的时间就可以长很多了。

I promised her.

我向她这样保证。

"Until you can get home?"

“能憋到回家吗？”

she asked me.

她这样问我。

I said, "Yes,

我说，“是的，

until you can get home."

能憋到回家的。”

She seemed to take some comfort in that.

听到这句话，她似乎感到些许安慰。

So let's just build some single stall, gender-neutral bathrooms

所以，让我们设立一些 不分性别的卫生间单间吧，

with a little bench for getting changed into your gym clothes.

里面还要放一些小板凳， 让人可以换上健身用的衣服。

We can't change the world overnight

我们不能一夜间为我们的下一代

for our children,

而改变世界，

but we can give them a safe and private place

但是我们能做的 是给他们一个安全私密的地方

to escape that world,

来逃避外面的世界，

if only for just a minute.

哪怕只是一分钟。

This we can do.

这是我们能做到的。

So let's just do it.

我们就去做吧。

And if you are one of those people who is sitting out there right now

如果你现在就开始苦思冥想，

already coming up with a list of reasons in your head why this is not a priority,

在脑海里列举出一大堆理由， 想要说明这件事无足轻重，

or it's too expensive,

或者觉得这件事太过昂贵，

or telling yourself that giving a trans person a safe place to pee

又或者觉得，给一个跨性别者 一个可以安全地撒尿的地方

or get changed in

或者是换衣服的地方，

supports a lifestyle choice that you feel offends your morality,

这种生活方式会颠覆你的道德观念，

or your masculinity,

颠覆你的男子气概，

or your religious beliefs,

颠覆你的宗教信仰，

then let me just appeal

那么就让我恳求你，

to the part of your heart that probably, hopefully,

恳求你心灵里或许仍存的一隅，

does care about the rest of the population.

希望能够唤醒其中 对世间大众的关怀之情。

If you can't bring yourself to care enough about people like me,

如果你不能说服自己， 对像我这样的人给予足够关怀，

then what about women and girls

那么你又怎么对待那些 遭受体象障碍的女性呢？

with body image issues?

What about anyone with body image stuff going on?

你怎么对待患有体象障碍的所有人？

What about that boy at school who is a foot shorter than his classmates,

怎么对待一个学校里的小男生， 他比他同学都矮30厘米，

whose voice still hasn't dropped yet? Hey?

而且还没进入变声期？怎么对待？

Oh, grade eight,

哦，八年级的时光啊，

what a cruel master you can be.

你可真是个残忍的主子啊！

Right?

对吧？

What about people with anxiety issues?

那些患有焦虑症的人呢？

What about people with disabilities or who need assistance in there?

还有那些身患残疾、 需要帮助的人呢？

What about folks with bodies who, for whatever reason,

还有一些人的身体，不知什么原因，

don't fit into the mainstream idea of what a body should look like?

就是跟一般概念的“身体” 看上去不一样？

How many of us still feel shy

我们中还有多少人， 在他人面前脱衣服时

or afraid to disrobe in front of our peers,

会感到害羞或恐惧？

and how many of us allow that fear

还有多少人因为这种恐惧

to keep us from something as important

而不再参加一些重要的日常活动，

as physical exercise?

比如说体育锻炼？

Would all those people not benefit

这所有人，不都会因为 这些卫生间单间

from these single stall facilities?

而受益无穷吗？

We can't change transphobic minds overnight,

我们不能一夜间改变 人们对跨性别者的恐惧心理，

but we can give everybody

但我们可以给每个人

a place to get changed in

提供一个这样的更衣场所，

so that we can all get to work

这样，我们就可以一同努力，

making the world safer

让我们每个人，

for all of us.

享受一个更安全的世界。

Thank you for listening.

感谢各位倾听。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）