向前一步:第196期 让我们开始讨论吧(2)

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Then, on the very last day of the session, he made good on his promise. 直到暑假的最后一天，他终于兑现了自己的诺言。

In the hall outside the House floor, he pulled me over to meet Speaker O'Neill. 在国会大厅里，他带我去见奥尼尔。

I was nervous, but Congressman Lehman put me at ease by introducing me in the nicest way possible, 我很紧张，但莱曼介绍我的方式非常贴心，让我心情放松了很多。

telling the Speaker that I had worked hard all summer. 他告诉奥尼尔，整个暑假我都工作得非常努力。

The Speaker looked at me, then reached over and patted my head. 奥尼尔看着我，拍拍我的头，

He turned to the congressman and remarked, "She's pretty." 又转身对莱曼说道：“她很漂亮。”

Then he turned his attention back to me and asked just one question: "Are you a pom-pom girl?" 随后看着我，只问了一个问题：“你在啦啦队吧？”

I was crushed. Looking back, I know his words were intended to flatter me, but in the moment, I felt belittled². 我顿时呆住了。现在回想起来，我明白他说这话是想称赞我，但就在那一刻，我感到自己被轻视了。

I wanted to be recognized for the work I had done. I reacted defensively. "No," I replied. "I study too much for that." 我希望自己的工作得到认可，于是辩解道：“不是，我学这么多可不是为了做这个。”

Then a wave of terror struck me for speaking up to the man who was third in line for the presidency³. 然后我突然感到一阵恐惧，毕竟对面站着的是有望成为总统的第三号人选。

But no one seemed to register my curt⁴ and not-at-all clever response. 但似乎没人注意到我鲁莽笨拙的回答，

The Speaker just patted me on the head — again! — and moved along. My congressman beamed. 奥尼尔只是拍了拍我的头——又拍！然后走开了，莱曼则在一旁满脸堆笑。

Even to my teenage self, this sexism seemed retro. 即使在当时还很年轻的我看来，这种性别歧视也已经很老套了。

 

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