Good evening, Mr.Chairman. My name is Zach Wahls. I'm a sixth-generation Iowan and an engineering student at the University of Iowa, and I was raised by two women.
主席先生晚安。我的名字是Zach Wahls。我是個第六代的愛荷華人，一個就讀於愛荷華大學工學院的學生，而我也是被兩位女性撫養長大的。
My biological mom, Terry, told her grandparents that she was pregnant, that the artificial insemination had worked, and they wouldn't even acknowledge it.
我的親生母親，Terry，告訴她的祖父母她懷孕了，人工受孕有成效了，而他們甚至不願承認這件事。
It actually wasn't until I was born, and they succumbed to my infantile cuteness that they broke down and told her that they were thrilled to have another grandson. Unfortunately, neither of them lived to see her marry her partner Jackie of fifteen years when they wedded in 2009.
事實上，是一直到了我出生後，他們才因為我這小嬰兒的可愛而軟化，他們放聲痛哭並告訴我的生母他們很興奮有了另一個孫子。很不幸的，他們兩個都沒有活著看到我的生母嫁給她十五年的伴侶Jackie，當她們2009年結婚的時候。
My younger sister, an only sibling, was born in 1994. We actually have the same anonymous donor so we're full siblings, which is really cool for me.
我的妹妹，唯一的手足，出生於1994年。事實上我們有著同一位匿名的捐贈者，所以我們是親兄妹，這對我來說非常酷。
Um, you know, I guess the point is that our family really isn't so different from any other Iowa family. You know, when I'm home we go to church together, we eat dinner, we go on vacations. Ah, but, you know, we have our hard times too. We get in fights. Um, you know.
嗯，你知道，我認為重點在於我們的家庭和任何其他愛荷華的家庭比起來並沒有那麼的不同。你知道的，當我在家的時候，我們會一起上教堂，我們一起吃晚餐，一起去度假。呃，但是，你知道的，我們也有我們的難關，我們會吵架。嗯，你知道的。
Actually, my mom, Terry was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000. It was a devastating disease that put her in a wheelchair. So we'd had our struggles.
事實上，我的母親Terry，在2000年被診斷出多發性硬化症。這是一個毁滅性的疾病，讓她坐上了輪椅。所以我們有我們的難處。
But, you know, we're Iowans. We don't expect anyone to solve our problems for us. We'll fight our own battles. We just hope for equal and fair treatment from our government.
但是，你知道的，我們是愛荷華人。我們並不期望任何人來替我們解決我們的問題。我們會為自己作戰。我們只期望能從政府得到平等及公平的對待。
Being a student at the University of Iowa, topic of same sex marriage comes up quite frequently in classroom discussions. You know, and the question always comes down to, well, "Can gays even raise kids?" And the question...you know, the conversation gets quiet for a moment because most people don't really have an answer. And then I raise my hand and say, "Actually, I was raised by a gay couple, and I'm doing pretty well."
身為一位愛荷華大學的學生，同性婚姻的議題在課堂討論中常常會被提到。你知道的，這些問題總是會歸結到，嗯：「同性戀能撫養孩子嗎？」而這問題...你知道的，對話會沉默一陣子，因為大部份的人並不全然有個解答。然後我舉手說：「其實，我是被一對同性戀撫養長大的，而我過得很不錯。」
I scored in the 99th percentile on the A.C.T. I'm actually an Eagle Scout. I own and operate my own small business. If I was your son, Mr. Chairman, I believe I'd make you very proud. I'm not really so different from any of your children. My family really isn't so different from yours.
我在美國大學 入學測驗中得到了第九十九級分。我其實是個鷹童軍(童子軍最高級別)。我擁有並經營自己的小公司。如果我是你的兒子，主席先生，我相信我會讓你感到很驕傲的。我跟你們的任何一個小孩其實沒有那麼不同。我的家庭跟你的比起來也沒有那麼地不同。
After all, your family doesn't derive its sense of worth from being told by the state: "You're married. Congratulations." No.
畢竟，你的家庭並不是從政府告訴你：「你們結婚了。恭喜。」來得到價值感的。不是的。
The sense of family comes from the commitment we make to each other. To work through the hard times so we can enjoy the good ones. It comes from the love that binds us. That's what makes a family.
家庭的概念來自於我們對彼此的承諾。一起克服艱難的時刻，如此我們就可以一起享受快樂的時光。它來自於維繫我們的親情。那是造就一個家庭的東西。
So what you're voting here isn't to change us. It's not to change our families. It's to change how the law views us, how the law treats us. You are voting for the first time in the history of our state to codify discrimination into our constitution, a constitution that but for the proposed amendment, is the least amended constitution in the United States of America.
所以你們在這的表決並不是要改變我們。不是要改變我們的家庭，是要改變法律怎麼看待我們、怎麼對待我們。你們是為了在州史上首次把不平等待遇編纂入我們的憲法而投票，一部除了已提出的修正案外，全美國最少被修過的憲法。
You are telling Iowans that some among you are second class citizens who do not have the right to marry the person you love.
你們這是在告訴愛荷華人，你們之中有些人是次等公民，沒有權利和自己喜愛的人結婚。
So will this vote affect my family? Will it affect yours?
所以這次投票會影響我的家庭嗎？它會影響你的嗎？
Over the next two hours, I'm sure we're going to hear plenty of testimony about how damaging having gay parents is on kids.
接下來的兩個小時，我敢確定我們會聽到很多關於有同性戀雙親對孩子是多麼有害的證詞。
But in my nineteen years, not once have I ever been confronted by an individual who realized independently that I was raised by a gay couple.
但在我過去的十九年裡，我從來連一次都沒碰過一位他自己了解到我是由同性戀伴侶撫養長大的人。
And you know why? Because the sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character.
而你知道為什麼嗎？因為我雙親的性向對我的人格特質一點影響都沒有。
Thank you very much.
非常感謝。
- 「放聲痛哭、感情失去控制」- Break Down
It actually wasn't until I was born, and they succumbed to my infantile cuteness that they "broke down" and told her that they were thrilled to have another grandson.
事實上，是一直到了我出生後，他們才因為我這小嬰兒的可愛而軟化，他們放聲痛哭並告訴我的生母他們很興奮有了另一個孫子。 - 「被提到、出現」- Come Up
Being a student at the University of Iowa, topic of same sex marriage "comes up" quite frequently in classroom discussions.
身為一位愛荷華大學的學生，同性婚姻的議題在課堂討論中常常會被提到。 - 「歸結到、淪為某事」- Come Down To
You know, and the question always "comes down to", well, "Can gays even raise kids?"
你知道的，這些問題總是會歸結到，嗯：「同性戀能撫養孩子嗎？」
