VOA标准英语2008年-India's Anti-Gay Law Set for Biggest Court Chal

Efforts by activists² to force India's government to strike down a Victorian-era law banning homosexuality are gaining momentum³. It is another sign that India's deeply conservative society is changing. Raymond Thibodeaux reports from Bangalore, capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka.
　
Gay rights activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest in New Delhi, 08 March 2008

At the center of a series of court challenges in India is Section 377 of the Indian Penal⁴ Code, an 1860 law banning homosexuality. Among gay-rights activists it is known simply as 377. High courts in several key states and cities in India are reviewing the law, and activists are hopeful that it will be repealed⁵.

Arvind Narrain, an attorney for the Alternative Law Forum⁶, a Bangalore-based human rights group, explains how 377 affects the lives of gays and lesbians.

"What that translates to, from 'legalese,' is that any forms of sex that are non-procreative in nature is a criminal offense⁷. What it translates to on a ground level is it is basically used and enforced against people who are not heterosexual. So it is used very much against gay men, lesbians and transgender people in a big way to extort⁸, blackmail⁹ and harass," said Narrain.

Narrain says in India criminal gangs often extort large sums of money from gays and lesbians by threatening to "out" them to their families, the community and the police.

Under 377, offenders¹⁰ could face hefty fines and up to 10 years in prison.
　
Activists for the Alternative Law Forum, a Bangalore-based human rights group, from left to right are: Ponni Arasu, Arvind Narrain and Siddharth Narrain

A gay-rights activist¹ at the Alternative Law Forum, Ponni Arasu, says gays and lesbians who live together are sometimes charged with other crimes, such as kidnapping, by disapproving¹¹ parents.

"We have gone to court many times where we actively¹² cover up the nature of the relationship between two women because we do not want to complicate¹³ the case. You just want to get rid of the kidnapping charge so they can go on and live their lives. And that is because of a law like Section 377. If we were not actively criminalized by such a law, then we would be able to go to court and say, 'They are lovers. They are adults. And they have the right to live with each other,'" said Arasu.

In their fight to overturn 377, gay activists recently found a strong ally in India's health minister, Anbumani Ramadoss.

Speaking at an international AIDS conference this past week in Mexico City, Ramadoss called on the courts to scrap¹⁴ 377. He said the law tends to drive gays and lesbians under ground, hindering the country's efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and treat those with HIV and AIDS.

An estimated 2.5 million people in India are living with HIV and AIDS.

But many in India want 377 preserved, among them supporters of India's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. The party made headlines a decade ago when its supporters attacked theaters showing "Fire," a feature film by an Indian director that depicted¹⁵ a lesbian affair between a mother and her daughter-in-law.

Party spokesman Prakash Jawadekar refused to comment for or against the 'anti-gay' law, but he downplayed its importance in light of other, more pressing problems facing India, including rampant¹⁶ inflation and the plight¹⁷ of farmers.

"Basically these issues of gay marriages and gay rights are not very important issues in this country," said Jawadekar. "We have various other issues for which we are fighting. We are the party of spreading more Indianness amid families and with regular marriages, male-female marriages. That is what the order of the day is."

The Delhi High Court is set to address a petition filed in the court by the NAZ Foundation, a Delhi-based non-government organization for HIV and AIDS prevention. The group is challenging arrests under 377.

Observers expect a ruling later this year.

 

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

5 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

8 extort   

v.勒索，敲诈，强要

参考例句：

• The blackmailer tried to extort a large sum of money from him.勒索者企图向他勒索一大笔钱。
• They absolutely must not harm the people or extort money from them.严格禁止坑害勒索群众。

9 blackmail   

n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓

参考例句：

• She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
• The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。

10 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

11 disapproving   

adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

13 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

14 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

15 depicted   

描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• Other animals were depicted on the periphery of the group. 其他动物在群像的外围加以修饰。
• They depicted the thrilling situation to us in great detail. 他们向我们详细地描述了那激动人心的场面。

16 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

17 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。