Gay couples march on Manhattan
同性伙伴在曼哈顿示威游行

Thursday, March 4, 2004 Posted: 6:10 PM EST (2310 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hundreds of gay and lesbian couples rallied for marriage rights in Manhattan Thursday while about 40 couples lined up in the rain outside New York City Hall seeking to persuade Mayor Michael Bloomberg to issue them marriage licenses.

纽约----数百对男女同性恋者周四在曼哈顿集会争取结婚的权利，在纽约市政厅外，大约有40对同性恋者排队站在雨中，试图劝服市长Michael Bloomberg给他们颁发结婚证。

☆gay n.<美俚> 同性恋者, 尤指男性同性恋者
  lesbian n. 女性同性恋者
  marriage license 结婚证

They chanted, "Marriage is a civil right -- gay, straight, black, white," in a demonstration that lasted 90 minutes. New York Marriage Now organized the rally, and a coalition of about a dozen groups sponsored it.

示威持续了90多分钟，示威者不停高呼：结婚是每一个公民的权利，不管是同性恋者，还是异性恋者，也不管是黑人还是白人。纽约Marriage Now组织了这次集会，并联合了12个组织支持这次行动。

☆straight ［俚］异性恋者

Several couples made it to the clerk's office, where they received a letter that said, in part, "Thank you for visiting. We are unable to grant your request. New York state law doesn't authorize this office to grant marriage licenses."

几对恋人在当地官员的办公室举行了示威，他们被告知：“谢谢你们的光临，我们不能同意你们的请求。纽约州法律没有授予我们给你们颁发结婚证的权力。”

☆authorize v.批准，授权

New York Attorney Genera Eliot Spitzer Wednesday had urged local officials to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the courts can rule on the matter. (Full story)

But outside City Hall, Connie Ress of the group Marriage Equality, said, "We also want to hear from our mayor. ... He has not yet spoken out on this issue. We want him to take a stand."

Rabbi Nancy Wiener said she and her partner, Judith Tax, had tried many options to get their relationship recognized, including giving each other power of attorney.

☆ power of attorney 委托权; 委任书

"If licenses can't be issued today, then we want the discussion to continue," she said.

Explaining why they want to marry, Tax said, "We love each other, and we've been together almost 18 years now."

Wiener added, "We have all sorts of legal papers, but individually none of those cover us as marriage would."