向前一步:第235期 为平等而不懈努力(14)

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but many people in her own neighborhood did not consider her work to be as important as a "real job." 但仍有很多人认为她的工作并不像一份“真正的工作”那么重要。

She was still regarded as "just a housewife" — undercutting the very real but unpaid³ work of raising children and advocating for human rights. 在一些人眼里，她只是一个家庭主妇。她养育孩子的无价努力，以及为争取人权所做的努力，都被大大地低估了。

We all want the same thing: to feel comfortable with our choices and to feel validated⁴ by those around us. 我们都希望满足于自己的选择，得到周围人的认可。

So let's start by validating⁵ one another. 所以，让我们先从认可彼此开始。

Mothers who work outside the home should regard mothers who work inside the home as real workers. 上班族妈妈应该把全职母亲的工作看成是真正的工作，

And mothers who work inside the home should be equally respectful of those choosing another option. 全职母亲也同样应该尊重那些与自己做出不同选择的女性。

A few years ago on a visit to the U.S. Naval⁶ Academy, 若干年前我曾访问过美国海军学院，

I met an extraordinary woman who was about to join the U.S. Submarine Force as one of its first female officers. 认识了一位即将加入美国潜艇部队的女性，她是该部队的第一位女性军官。

She was nervous about her new role and aware that there were risks in being an officer and not a gentleman. 她对新头衔很紧张，认为自己一定会遇到不少挑战。

I asked her to let me know how it went. 我请她和我保持联系，以便让我了解她之后的情况。

A year later, she followed up with a heartfelt e-mail. 一年之后，她发来一封语气真诚的邮件。

"Truthfully I was prepared for opposition⁷ and the possibility of being discounted," she wrote. "But it did not happen. “说实话，当时我已经做好了心理准备接受反对声和大家的轻视，”她写道，“但这些事情都没有发生。

I was respected the moment I stepped on board and I can truly say that I am a valued part of the crew." 我一踏上甲板就得到了大家的尊重，我敢说自己是船员中被重视的一分子。”

 

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