劍橋允許男生穿裙裝出席晚宴
Arguments over whether women should be allowed to wear trousers might seem like a relic of the 20th century.
有關女性能否穿褲子的爭論像是20世紀的遺留問題。
But even in 2015, the battle for sartorial sexual equality rages on, notably at the University of Cambridge, where ladies must still wear skirts if they wish to eat in college dining halls.
即使到了2015年，關於性別着裝平等的爭論還是持續不止，尤其在是在劍橋大學裏。如果想到劍橋大學的宴會廳就餐，女性必須穿裙子。
Now though, a mere century and a half after women were first admitted to Cambridge, they will finally be allowed to cover their legs at formal dinners, at one college at least.
150年前，劍橋大學開始招收女學生。如今，女學生終於可以在正式晚宴中穿褲子了，最起碼在一所大學是這樣的。
St Catharine's College, founded in 1473, has always insisted on male students wearing a jacket and tie and smart trousers with an academic gown, while women, who were first admitted to the college in 1979, have had to wear a skirt or a dress.
建於1473年的聖凱瑟琳學院一直要求男學生穿夾克外套和整潔的褲子，佩戴領帶，再披上學術長袍；而女學生則需穿裙裝。聖凱瑟琳學院於1979年開始招收女學生。
Centuries of tradition has now been overturned thanks to a campaign by a transgender student, who has persuaded the college that women should be allowed to wear trousers and men should be allowed to wear skirts.
幾百年來的傳統被顛覆歸功於一個跨性別學生所發起的運動。這個學生向學院建言，應該允許女學生穿褲子和男學生穿裙子。
St Catharine's is believed to be the first college at the 800-year-old university to change its formal dress code, though others are now expected to follow suit.
據信，劍橋大學建校800年來，聖凱瑟琳學院是第一所改變其正式着裝規定的院校，而其他院校有望效仿。
The campaign was led by American Charlie Northrop, 25, who is studying for a PhD in Classics and began transitioning from male to female earlier this year.
該運動由一位名叫查理·諾斯羅普（Charlie Northrop）的25歲美國學生髮動。此人在校攻讀古典學博士學位，今年年初做了變性手術，從男性轉變爲女性。
She said: "I'm over the moon, it's absolutely wonderful that it's now been passed.
她說：“我欣喜若狂，這一建議被批准簡直太棒了。”
"It wasn't that there was much resistance, it's just the new wording had to be sound and there was a lot of conversations between the college and the committee.
“其實並沒有很多阻力，只是新的措辭要合理，所以學院和委員會之間要商量多次。”
"We had to come up with a way of proposing a new dress code that would omit gender specification but would still keep formality.
“我們必須想出新着裝規定的提法，既能避免具體性別要求，又能保持正式性。”
"For instance the college wanted to ensure those wearing suits would still wear ties but female suits don't have ties so we've worded it so that if you have buttons down the left side you don't have to wear a tie but down the right side you do."
“比如說，學院希望確保穿西裝的人也繫上領帶，但女性西裝是不用系領帶的，所以我們這樣表達，如果你的鈕釦在左邊，就不用系領帶；如果鈕釦在右側則需系領帶。”
She added: "Everyone has been so helpful and it's been great to make a new change.
她補充說：“大家都鼎力相助，這個改革真的太棒了。”
"I've been speaking to students from other colleges now who hope to make the change across the university."
“我正在和其他學院想要在全校推行着裝改革的學生交流。”
The new dress code in a notice from the Dean states: "Formal Hall is an occasion on which all members of St Catharine's should wear gowns.
院長下發的關於着裝新規的通知說：“聖凱瑟琳學院所有學生在正式宴會廳裏都要穿學術長袍。”
"Members and their guests must be dressed in suitably smart dress. 'Smart dress' is defined without reference to considerations of gender identity or expression.
“所有學生及其客人的着裝都必須得體整潔。‘着裝整潔’的定義未提及具體性別或性別用詞。
"This means a suit (or trousers and jacket), a shirt with a collar, a tie, and shoes (not trainers or sandals), or equivalently formal dress.
“着裝整潔指一套西裝（或者褲子和夾克），帶領襯衣，領帶和鞋子（非運動鞋或拖鞋），或是相對應的裙裝。”
"The staff are instructed to refuse admission to anyone coming to Formal Hall improperly dressed."
“工作人員收到指示，禁止任何着裝不得體的人進入正式晚宴廳。”
Formal Hall is the name given by colleges to the evening meal in a dining hall where students and dons eat together, with their food served by college servants.
正式晚宴廳指大學裏的晚餐廳，學校後勤人員負責上菜，學生和老師共進晚餐。
Ms Northrop, from Richmond, Indiana, studied classics at John Cabot University in Rome for five years before moving to Cambridge for post-graduate study.
來自印第安納州里士滿的諾斯羅普小姐（Ms Northrop）在羅馬的約翰·卡波特大學（John Cabot University）學習了五年的古典學，現在到劍橋大學繼續讀研究生。
She said: "I always felt wrong with the sex I was but it's hard to explain in words.
她說，“我總覺得自己的性別出了問題，但這難以言喻。”
"It was when I was 18 that I began the real process of realising I wanted to transition.
“到了18歲，我開始真正意識到我想要變性。”
"It was when I got to Cambridge that it really became possible. The university is inspiring and full of such supportive people.
“到了劍橋大學，這纔有可能實現。這所大學非常能夠啓發人，而且大家都很支持。”
"When I was an undergraduate I didn't do much campaigning, it's something I started while I'm here.
“本科生時期，我不怎麼發起任何運動，我到劍橋後纔開始發起運動。”
"My friends and family have been so supportive throughout it all."
“我的朋友和家人由始至終都非常支持我。”
Two years ago, the rules on graduation dress were rewritten to include no reference to gender - but this did not extend to formal dinners at the colleges.
兩年前，關於畢業典禮着裝的規定被改寫了，不再提及性別——但當時這項改革沒有擴大到學院的正式晚宴着裝上。
Vocabulary
sartorial: 衣着的，製衣的
follow suit: 效仿
over the moon: 欣喜若狂
wording: 措辭
