In the aftermath of a rather punishing debate about SOGI, please allow me to offer a few comments that, I think, reflect the views of a majority of my constituents.

　　在经历了一场使人疲惫不堪的SOGI（性取向和性别认同）辩论之后，请容许我代表选区的大部分选民略谈几点意见。

　　No one thinks that bullying is acceptable. The good people of Chilliwack are kind and tolerant; just look at the incredible charitable work that goes on in our city. Words like ‘hatred’ do not apply to them, or to me. I serve the transgendered in our community with compassion and respect.

　　没有人认为霸凌是能够容忍的。Chilliwack 人民是良善的，友好和包容的，您只需要看看在我们城市慈善工作做得多么棒就知道了。“仇恨”这个字眼在他们和我这里是不存在的。我尊重变性人，也热情为他们服务。

　　Opposition is a good thing, that’s why we cherish and nurture debate in the legislature, the courts, and the media. It is a mark of health in a free, democratic, and pluralistic society, for reasonable people to disagree on any topic and voice their opinions. It is not healthy, particularly for the media which has a special interest in promoting freedom of speech, to shame and condemn those who speak freely.

　　反对意见是件好事，这就是为什么我们要珍惜并培育在议会、法庭和媒体的辩论。让理性的人民提出意见发出声音，这是民主、自由、多元化社会的健康标志。然而当尤其热衷推崇言论自由的媒体却把耻辱和谴责强加在自由发表言论的人身上时，这就是不健康的。

　　My concern about SOGI, which I have expressed publicly in the legislature, is

　　that helpful teaching about acceptance and tolerance may go further; promoting a philosophy of gender and human nature that may predispose impressionable children and youth to make decisions they will later regret.

　　我对SOGI 的顾虑，正如我在省议会的发言：有效的关于包容和接纳的教育可以深入，但是提倡性别与人性的哲学也许会让容易受影响的孩子和青少年做出后悔一生的决定。

　　I am concerned about SOGI’s confidentiality provisions that could limit parental knowledge, and therefore their involvement, particularly in the lives of younger students.

　　我担心SOGI对父母的保密条款限制了父母的知情权，因此也限制了他们的参与权，尤其是对于年龄小的孩子生活的知情权和参与权。

　　Finally, I am concerned about the imposition of a monoculture on independent schools.

　　最后，我也担心这个单一文化对私立学校的影响。

　　I think of our gender as a resilient plant, rooted in the soil of our biological characteristics. Above ground, the winds of culture can blow that plant in a variety of directions without harm, but attempting to uproot it from its biological soil – to separate gender from biology – may generate inner conflicts that result in mental health problems.

　　我认为我们的性别就像一棵具有弹性的植物，植根在我们生理特性的土壤上。在地面上，文化的风可以把植物向许多方向吹也不会损害它，但是如果要把它连根拔起——把性别与生理分离——这将会造成内心的混乱，导致心理健康问题。

　　In the best interests of our children and youth, I would encourage our public officials to carefully examine and consider all aspects of SOGI teaching resources, as well as alternative resources that could be made available to teachers – in a clear-eyed, calm and rational way.

　　为了我们孩子和青少年的最好的利益，我请求政府官员，擦亮眼睛，平和地、理性地、认真研究考虑老师们可以获得的SOGI教育资源的方方面面。

　　Laurie Throness

　　劳睿  石荣尼斯

　　Chilliwack-Kent选区的省议员