The Homosexual Family

　　Although many people do not think of homosexual relationships as resulting in a family, it has been estimated that about one of five gays and one of three lesbians enter a homosexual marriage. The marriage may or may not be established by a formal ceremony. One male couple , for example , after four months of cohabitation3, went to Mass4 and let the service be their private ceremony of commitment. They used the term marriage to describe their relationship. They bought matching rings and verbally agreed to be sexually faithful, to emotionally support each other, and to have equal say in such matters as finances.

　　Moreover, millions of gays and lesbians have had children. In many cases, the children were born when the individual was part of a heterosexual marriage . Subsequently, the individual openly acknowledged his or her homosexual preference. Some of these children are being raised in a homosexual family — two men, two women, or some other arrangement. For example, Nancy is a lesbian who is raising a daughter with two gay males, one of whom is the child’s father.

　　Homosexual couples have to work through the same problems as heterosexual couples. They face issues of household division of labor, power, sexual relationships, and money. In addition, like the interracial couple , they face problems arising from being in a socially stigmatized relationship. Gallup polls5 that asked the American public whether homosexual relations between consenting adults should be legal have found an increasing proportion from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s who said that they should not be legal. Homosexual families, then, must not only deal with the same issues as other families but also with a hostile environment and with some problems that are unique to6 the homosexual relationship .

　　阅读自测

　　Ⅰ. Are these statements True or False according to the article ?

　　1. Like heterosexual marriage, homosexual marriage must go through a formal ceremony.

　　2. Most of the children of homosexuals are adopted from other places.

　　3. Homosexual couples just have to confront the same problems as heterosexual couples.

　　4. Homosexual couples have to overcome various problems and still have a long way to go .

　　5. From the mid-1970s, homosexual marriages are gradually accepted by our society.

　　Ⅱ. Choose the best answer to fill in the blanks :

　　1. The tax increases in ______to the amount you earn.

　　A. accordance B. proportion C. ratio D. scale

　　2. There are some matters ______ from the recent changes in the law.

　　A. raising B. happening C. arising D. rising

　　3. The father is not willing to consent ______ the marriage.

　　A. to B. from C. with D. in

　　参考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. F 2. F 3 . F 4. T 5. F

　　Ⅱ. 1. B 2. C 3 . A

　　参考译文

　　同性恋家庭

　　尽管许多人认为同性恋关系不能使两个同性恋者组成一个家庭, 但据估计大约每五个男同性恋者中就有一个会与同性结婚, 而每三个女同性恋者中则会有一个与同性结婚。同性恋者的婚姻关系也许会通过正式的仪式得以确认, 也许根本就不通过正式仪式。比如说, 一对男同性恋者同居四个月以后, 会去教堂望弥撒, 他们将这种宗教活动作为互相托付终身的私人仪式。他们用结婚这个词来描述他们之间的关系。他们还买了情侣戒指, 信誓旦旦在性关系上忠于对方, 感情方面互为支持, 而且表示在家庭财政等方面拥有平等的发言权。此外, 许许多多的男女同性恋者都有孩子。在许多情况下, 这些孩子是同性恋者在以前的异性恋婚姻中的结晶。后来, 这个同性恋者在公开场合里承认了他或她的同性恋倾向。一些孩子在同性恋家庭里得到抚养——— 家里或有两个男人, 或有两个女人, 抑或是其他某种家庭构成。举例来说, 南希是一名女同性恋者, 她与两个男同性恋者共同抚养了一个女儿, 这两个男同性恋中有一个人就是这个孩子的生父。

　　同性恋伴侣和异性恋伴侣一样要克服相同的困难。他们要面对家庭劳动分工、家庭权力、性关系和金钱等问题。另外, 像那些与不同种族的人结合的伴侣一样, 同性恋伴侣还要面对因社会对同性恋关系的歧视所引发的其他问题。曾有一次盖洛普民意测验, 调查美国公众对情投意合的成年人之间的同性恋关系是否合法的观点, 结果发现从20 世纪70 年代中期到90 年代末, 认为同性恋关系不合法的人数比例在不断攀升。因此, 同性恋家庭不仅要应付与其他家庭相同的问题, 而且还要面对一个充满敌意的社会环境, 并应付同性恋关系。