ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Geena Rocero - Model and activist
Geena Rocero is a professional model for fashion and beauty companies around the world. And she uses her platform to share a powerful story.

Why you should listen

As Cameron Russell puts it, professional models are people who have won the genetic lottery, born with the DNA for long legs, great skin and dazzling smiles. The advertising industry presents these gorgeous folks as idealized versions of ourselves to sell us clothes, makeup, cars. But behind the fabulousness, there's always an interesting story.

Born in Manila, Geena Rocero moved to New York in 2005 to pursue a modeling career. Signed to Next Models, she has worked with Rimmel Cosmetics, Hanes, and many other fashion and beauty companies. Through her own experience into womanhood, she realized her bigger purpose in life was to share her journey and work towards justice and beauty.

More profile about the speaker
Geena Rocero | Speaker | TED.com
TED2014

Geena Rocero: Why I must come out

吉娜・羅塞羅: 為什麽我必須站出來

Filmed:
3,445,887 views

當時裝模特兒吉娜・羅塞羅第一次看到自己穿著比基尼的專業拍攝照片,她欣喜若狂。「我覺得你已經辦到了。」她自豪地說。但這可能不是一般人會有的經驗,但是,羅塞羅透露,那是因為她出生時性別被分配為「男孩」。在這段感人和私密的演講中,羅塞羅發現變性主義運動帶給她一種全新的驕傲和目的。
- Model and activist
Geena Rocero is a professional model for fashion and beauty companies around the world. And she uses her platform to share a powerful story. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
The world世界 makes品牌 you something that you're not,
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世界讓你變得不是自己,
00:18
but you know inside what you are,
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但你心裡知道自己是誰,
00:20
and that question burns燒傷 in your heart:
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於是,一個疑問在你心中熊熊燃燒:
00:23
How will you become成為 that?
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「你要怎麼變成那樣的人?」
00:26
I may可能 be somewhat有些 unique獨特 in this,
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在這方面,我可能有些獨特,
00:29
but I am not alone單獨,
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但是我並不孤單,
00:31
not alone單獨 at all.
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我不是一個人。
00:34
So when I became成為 a fashion時尚 model模型,
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所以,當我成為了一名模特兒時,
00:36
I felt that I'd finally最後 achieved實現 the dream夢想
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我覺得自己實現了夢想,
00:38
that I'd always wanted since以來 I was a young年輕 child兒童.
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那可是從我兒時就夢寐以求的。
00:41
My outside self finally最後 matched匹配 my inner truth真相,
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我外在的自我最終追尋了我的真實選擇,
00:45
my inner self.
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追尋了我內在的自我。
00:47
For complicated複雜 reasons原因 which哪一個 I'll get to later後來,
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原因很複雜,之後我將緩緩道來。
00:52
when I look at this picture圖片,
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當我看著這張照片,
00:55
at that time I felt like, Geena吉娜, you've doneDONE it,
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那時候我心想「吉娜,你已經做到了。
00:57
you've made製作 it,
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你已經成功了。
00:58
you have arrived到達.
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你已經實現了夢想。」
01:01
But this past過去 October十月,
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但就在去年的 10 月,
01:04
I realized實現 that I'm only just beginning開始.
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我意識到我才剛剛開始。
01:08
All of us are put in boxes盒子 by our family家庭,
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我們都被我們的家庭所束縛,
01:13
by our religion宗教,
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被我們的宗教、
01:14
by our society社會,
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被我們的社會、
01:16
our moment時刻 in history歷史,
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被歷史的片刻,
01:19
even our own擁有 bodies身體.
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甚至是被我們的身體所束縛。
01:21
Some people have the courage勇氣 to break打破 free自由,
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有些人擁有掙脫枷鎖的勇氣,
01:24
not to accept接受 the limitations限制 imposed徵收 by
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不接受別人因為他們的膚色,
01:26
the color顏色 of their skin皮膚
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01:28
or by the beliefs信仰 of those that surround環繞 them.
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或者他們信仰的不同,而對他們所加的限制。
01:32
Those people are always the threat威脅
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這些人永遠都是
01:34
to the status狀態 quo現狀,
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對現狀的威脅,
01:35
to what is considered考慮 acceptable接受.
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對大眾認知的威脅。
01:39
In my case案件, for the last nine years年份,
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對我而言,過去九年中,
01:45
some of my neighbors鄰居,
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我的一些鄰居、
01:47
some of my friends朋友, colleagues同事, even my agent代理人,
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一些朋友、 同事,甚至是我的經紀人
01:50
did not know about my history歷史.
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他們都不知道我的過去。
01:52
I think, in mystery神秘, this is called the reveal揭示.
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我想這就是所謂的揭示秘密。
01:56
Here is mine.
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下面是我的(秘密)。
02:00
I was assigned分配 boy男孩 at birth分娩
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我出生時是一個男孩,
02:03
based基於 on the appearance出現 of my genitalia生殖器.
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這基於我的生殖器外觀。
02:06
I remember記得 when I was five years年份 old
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我記得當我五歲的時候,
02:08
in the Philippines菲律賓 walking步行 around our house,
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在菲律賓,我們常常屋子附近散步,
02:10
I would always wear穿 this t-shirtT恤衫 on my head.
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我總是把這件T恤裹在頭上。
02:13
And my mom媽媽 asked me,
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於是,媽媽問我:
02:15
"How come you always wear穿
that t-shirtT恤衫 on your head?"
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「你為什麽總是把T恤裹在頭上呢?」
02:18
I said, "Mom媽媽, this is my hair頭髮. I'm a girl女孩."
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我說:「媽媽,這是我的頭髮。我是個女孩。」
02:23
I knew知道 then how to self-identify自我認同.
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我那時就知道該如何自我認同。
02:27
Gender性別 has always been considered考慮 a fact事實,
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性別,長久以來一直被
視為一個客觀事實,
02:32
immutable一成不變,
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它是不可改變的。
02:34
but we now know it's actually其實 more fluid流體,
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但是現在我們知道,它其實更容易改變、
02:37
complex複雜 and mysterious神秘.
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複雜和神秘。
02:41
Because of my success成功, I never had the courage勇氣
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因為我事業的成功,
02:44
to share分享 my story故事,
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我之前沒有勇氣分享我的故事,
02:46
not because I thought what I am is wrong錯誤,
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不過,這並不是我覺得自己做錯了什麽。
02:49
but because of how the world世界 treats對待 those of us
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而是因為世界對待我們這些
02:52
who wish希望 to break打破 free自由.
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想要掙脫禁錮者的方式。
02:55
Every一切 day,
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每一天,
02:57
I am so grateful感激 because I am a woman女人.
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我都感激自己是個女人。
03:01
I have a mom媽媽 and dad and family家庭
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我有我的媽媽、爸爸
03:04
who accepted公認 me for who I am.
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和接納我的家人。
03:07
Many許多 are not so fortunate幸運.
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但很多人並非如此幸運。
03:12
There's a long tradition傳統 in Asian亞洲 culture文化
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在亞洲悠久的文化傳統中
03:14
that celebrates慶祝 the fluid流體 mystery神秘 of gender性別.
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有紀念性別改變的宗教儀式。
03:18
There is a Buddhist佛教徒 goddess女神 of compassion同情.
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比如佛教的觀世音菩薩,
03:21
There is a Hindu印度教 goddess女神, hijra希吉拉 goddess女神.
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和印度教的海吉拉女神。
03:25
So when I was eight years年份 old,
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因此,在我八歲的時候,
03:27
I was at a fiesta節日 in the Philippines菲律賓 celebrating慶祝
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我當時參加了一場菲律賓的宗教節慶。
03:30
these mysteries奧秘.
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03:32
I was in front面前 of the stage階段,
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我站在舞臺上,
03:34
and I remember記得, out comes this beautiful美麗 woman女人
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我記得,有一個美麗的女人
03:37
right in front面前 of me,
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就站在我的面前,
03:39
and I remember記得 that moment時刻 something hit擊中 me:
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我記得那一刻彷彿有東西擊中了我:
03:41
That is the kind of woman女人 I would like to be.
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「我要成為這樣的女人。」
03:45
So when I was 15 years年份 old,
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所以當我15歲的時候,
03:47
still dressing敷料 as a boy男孩,
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那時我依舊打扮成男孩的樣子,
03:49
I met會見 this woman女人 named命名 T.L.
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我遇到了一個名叫 T.L. 的女人。
03:51
She is a transgender變性 beauty美女 pageant盛會 manager經理.
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她是一個變性人選美活動的經理。
03:55
That night she asked me,
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那天晚上她問我:
03:56
"How come you are not joining加盟 the beauty美女 pageant盛會?"
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「你怎麼不參加選美比賽?」
03:59
She convinced相信 me that if I joined加盟
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她說服我,如果我參加的話
04:01
that she would take care關心 of the registration註冊 fee費用
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她將幫我繳納報名費
04:05
and the garments服裝,
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和服裝的費用。
04:06
and that night,
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那晚,
04:08
I won韓元 best最好 in swimsuit泳裝
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我贏到了最佳泳衣
04:11
and best最好 in long gown
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和最佳長禮服,
04:12
and placed放置 second第二 runner跑步者 up
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並且在 40 多名選手的比賽中脫穎而出
04:14
among其中 40-plus-加 candidates候選人.
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奪得了亞軍。
04:17
That moment時刻 changed my life.
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那一刻改變了我的生活。
04:20
All of a sudden突然, I was introduced介紹
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突然間,我進入了
04:22
to the world世界 of beauty美女 pageants選美.
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選美比賽的世界。
04:25
Not a lot of people could say that your first job工作
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雖然,很多人沒辦法說自己第一份職業
04:27
is a pageant盛會 queen女王 for transgender變性 women婦女,
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是變性人界的選美皇后,
04:29
but I'll take it.
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但我樂於接受。
04:32
So from 15 to 17 years年份 old, I joined加盟
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所以從我 15 歲到 17 歲,我參加了
04:34
the most prestigious聲望很高的 pageant盛會
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一場最負盛名的選美比賽,
04:37
to the pageant盛會 where it's at
the back of the truck卡車, literally按照字面,
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差不多是一場在卡車後的選美比賽,
04:41
or sometimes有時 it would be a
pavement路面 next下一個 to a rice白飯 field領域,
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或者,有時候它會在稻田邊的路上舉行。
04:45
and when it rains降雨 --
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有時天公不作美,
04:46
it rains降雨 a lot in the Philippines菲律賓 --
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菲律賓總是經常下雨,
04:49
the organizers組織者 would have to move移動 it
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主辦單位會將活動轉移到
04:51
inside someone's誰家 house.
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別人的房子裡。
04:55
I also experienced有經驗的 the goodness善良 of strangers陌生人,
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我也經親歷過陌生人的善良,
04:57
especially特別 when we would travel旅行
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尤其是當我們旅行到
04:58
in remote遠程 provinces in the Philippines菲律賓.
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菲律賓的一些偏遠省份。
05:01
But most importantly重要的, I met會見
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但最重要的是,我遇到了
05:03
some of my best最好 friends朋友 in that community社區.
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在那個群體中的一些最好的朋友。
05:06
In 2001,
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2001 年,
05:08
my mom媽媽, who had moved移動 to San Francisco弗朗西斯科,
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我的媽媽已經搬到舊金山,
05:11
called me and told me that my
green綠色 card petition請願 came來了 through通過,
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她打電話告訴我,我綠卡申請已經通過,
05:14
that I could now move移動 to the United聯合的 States狀態.
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現在,我可以搬去美國。
05:18
I resisted抵制 it.
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但是我拒絕了。
05:19
I told my mom媽媽, "Mom媽媽, I'm having fun開玩笑.
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我告訴媽媽:「媽媽,我很開心。
05:21
I'm here with my friends朋友,
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這裡有我的朋友們,
05:22
I love traveling旅行, being存在 a beauty美女 pageant盛會 queen女王."
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我愛旅行,喜歡當選美皇后。」
05:26
But then two weeks later後來 she called me, she said,
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但兩週之後她又打電話給我,她說:
05:29
"Did you know that if you move移動 to the United聯合的 States狀態
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「你知道如果你移民到美國,
05:31
you could change更改 your name名稱 and gender性別 marker標記?"
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你可以更改姓名和性別嗎?」
05:35
That was all I needed需要 to hear.
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有這句話就夠了。
05:38
My mom媽媽 also told me to put two E'sE公司
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我媽還建議我
05:39
in the spelling拼字 of my name名稱.
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把名字中間改成兩個『E』。
05:42
She also came來了 with me when I had my surgery手術
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當我要做手術時,她還來泰國陪著我,
05:44
in Thailand泰國 at 19 years年份 old.
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那年我19歲。
05:47
It's interesting有趣, in some of the
most rural鄉村 cities城市 in Thailand泰國,
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有趣的是,有些泰國最農村的城市
05:50
they perform演出 some of the most prestigious聲望很高的,
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正進行著一些最負盛名的、
05:54
safe安全 and sophisticated複雜的 surgery手術.
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安全並且先進的外科手術。
05:58
At that time in the United聯合的 States狀態,
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那時在美國,
06:00
you needed需要 to have surgery手術
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在你可以更改名字和性別之前,
06:01
before you could change更改 your
name名稱 and gender性別 marker標記.
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你需要先完成變性手術。
06:04
So in 2001, I moved移動 to San Francisco弗朗西斯科,
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因此,2001 年,我搬到舊金山。
06:09
and I remember記得 looking at
my California加州 driver's司機 license執照
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我還記得看著我的加州駕照
06:13
with the name名稱 Geena吉娜
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上面寫著名字「Geena,
06:15
and gender性別 marker標記 F.
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女性」。
06:17
That was a powerful強大 moment時刻.
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這是一個充滿能量的時刻。
06:20
For some people,
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對某些人來說,
06:22
their I.D. is their license執照 to drive駕駛
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他們的身份證意味著有開車資格
06:24
or even to get a drink,
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或是可以喝酒了。
06:26
but for me, that was my license執照 to live生活,
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但對我來說,那是我生活的許可證。
06:30
to feel dignified凝重.
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它讓我感覺到尊嚴。
06:32
All of a sudden突然, my fears恐懼 were minimized最小化.
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突然間,我不再那麼害怕了。
06:35
I felt that I could conquer征服 my dream夢想
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我覺得自己征服了夢想,
06:37
and move移動 to New York紐約 and be a model模型.
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然後,搬到了紐約並成為一名模特兒。
06:41
Many許多 are not so fortunate幸運.
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許多人並不那麼幸運。
06:45
I think of this woman女人 named命名 Ayla艾拉 Nettles蕁麻.
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我想起這個名叫 Ayla Nettles 的女人。
06:48
She's from New York紐約, she's a young年輕 woman女人
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她來自紐約,
06:50
who was courageously勇敢 living活的 her truth真相,
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是個勇敢面對自己內心選擇,
06:53
but hatred ended結束 her life.
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卻滿懷仇恨地結束生命的女人。
06:56
For most of my community社區,
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對於我們這個群體的大多數人而言,
06:58
this is the reality現實 in which哪一個 we live生活.
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這便是我們所生活的現實。
07:01
Our suicide自殺 rate is nine times higher更高
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我們的自殺率
是一般大眾的9倍。
07:04
than that of the general一般 population人口.
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07:06
Every一切 November十一月 20,
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每年的11月20日,
07:08
we have a global全球 vigil守夜
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我們有一場紀念變性人日
07:10
for Transgender變性 Day of Remembrance追憶.
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的全球守夜活動。
07:14
I'm here at this stage階段
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我在這個舞臺上,
07:15
because it's a long history歷史 of people who fought戰鬥
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因為這是一段漫長的,
人民站起來對抗不公正的歷史。
07:18
and stood站在 up for injustice不公正.
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07:20
This is Marsha瑪莎 P. Johnson約翰遜 and Sylvia西爾維亞 Rivera里維拉.
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這是 Marsha P. Johnson 和 Sylvia Rivera。
07:26
Today今天, this very moment時刻,
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今天,是一個非同尋常的時刻,
07:28
is my real真實 coming未來 out.
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今天我真正站了出來。
07:31
I could no longer live生活 my truth真相
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今天我可以不再一個人
07:34
for and by myself.
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活在我的『真實選擇』中。
07:37
I want to do my best最好 to help others其他
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我要儘可能地幫助別人
07:39
live生活 their truth真相 without shame恥辱 and terror恐怖.
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活在沒有羞愧和恐懼的世界裡。
07:44
I am here, exposed裸露,
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我在這裡,坦蕩蕩地分享我的故事,
07:48
so that one day there will never be a need
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總有一天,
我們將不再需要紀念每年的11月20日。
07:51
for a November十一月 20 vigil守夜.
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07:55
My deepest最深 truth真相 allowed允許 me to accept接受 who I am.
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我內心最深處的『真實選擇』
讓我能接受真正的自己。
08:01
Will you?
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那麼你呢?
08:03
Thank you very much.
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謝謝。
08:05
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
08:08
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause掌聲)
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謝謝。(掌聲)
08:14
Kathryn凱瑟琳 Schulz舒爾茨: Geena吉娜, one quick question for you.
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凱薩琳・舒爾茨:
吉娜,問你一個小問題。
08:16
I'm wondering想知道 what you would say,
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我想知道你會說什麼,
08:18
especially特別 to parents父母,
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尤其是對父母,
08:20
but in a more broad廣闊 way, to friends朋友,
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但是更廣泛地說,對朋友們,
08:22
to family家庭, to anyone任何人 who finds認定 themselves他們自己
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對家庭,對任何一個發現他們自己
08:24
encountering遇到 a child兒童 or a person
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遇到一個孩子或大人
08:26
who is struggling奮鬥的 with and uncomfortable不舒服 with
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正因為性別的原因
08:28
a gender性別 that's being存在 assigned分配 them,
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而掙扎和不安。
08:30
what might威力 you say
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你將會
08:32
to the family家庭 members會員 of that person
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對他的家人說什麼
08:34
to help them become成為 good and caring愛心 and kind
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讓他們對這件事的態度
08:36
family家庭 members會員 to them?
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變得友善和關心?
08:38
Geena吉娜 RoceroRocero: Sure. Well,
first, really, I'm so blessed幸福.
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吉娜・羅塞羅:
當然,是的,首先我很幸運。
08:40
The support支持 system系統, with my mom媽媽 especially特別,
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對我的支持,特別是我的媽媽
08:43
and my family家庭, that in itself本身
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和我的家人,這本身
08:45
is just so powerful強大.
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就如此強大。
08:47
I remember記得 every一切 time I would coach教練
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我還記得,每次我輔導
08:49
young年輕 trans反式 women婦女, I would mentor導師 them,
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年輕的變性女士,指導她們(該怎麼做),
08:52
and sometimes有時 when they would call me
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有時候,她們會打電話給我
08:54
and tell me that their parents父母 can't accept接受 it,
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告訴我她們的父母不能接受這一切,
08:56
I would pick up that phone電話 call and tell my mom媽媽,
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我會接那個電話,告訴我媽媽:
08:58
"Mom媽媽, can you call this woman女人?"
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「媽,妳能幫我打電話給她母親嗎?」
09:00
And sometimes有時 it works作品, sometimes有時 it doesn't, so —
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有時成功,有時失敗— —
09:03
But it's just, gender性別 identity身分
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性別認同是我們生命的核心,對嗎?
09:07
is in the core核心 of our being存在, right?
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09:09
I mean, we're all assigned分配 gender性別 at birth分娩,
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我是說,我們生來就有性別,
09:13
so what I'm trying to do
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所以我試著要和他們談談
09:15
is to have this conversation會話 that
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有時候性別沒有被合情分配的情況。
09:17
sometimes有時 that gender性別 assignment分配 doesn't match比賽,
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09:20
and there should be a space空間
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因此,我們要留有些空間
09:22
that would allow允許 people to self-identify自我認同,
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允許這些人去認同自我,
09:25
and that's a conversation會話 that we should have
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這就是我們應該
09:27
with parents父母, with colleagues同事.
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告訴父母、同事的。
09:30
The transgender變性 movement運動,
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變性人運動,
09:31
it's at the very beginning開始,
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在它一開始的時候
09:34
to compare比較 to how the gay同性戀者 movement運動 started開始.
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就被與同性戀運動的開端相比較。
09:37
There's still a lot of work that needs需求 to be doneDONE.
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我們還有很多工作要做。
09:39
There should be an understanding理解.
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請保有一份理解。
09:41
There should be a space空間 of curiosity好奇心
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一份好奇心
09:43
and asking questions問題,
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和疑問,
09:45
and I hope希望 all of you guys will be my allies盟國.
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希望你們都是我的盟友。
09:48
KSKS: Thank you. That was so lovely可愛.
GRGR: Thank you.
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凱薩琳・舒爾茨:謝謝你。真是太棒了。
吉娜・羅塞羅:謝謝你。
09:50
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Hao Li
Reviewed by Adrienne Lin

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Geena Rocero - Model and activist
Geena Rocero is a professional model for fashion and beauty companies around the world. And she uses her platform to share a powerful story.

Why you should listen

As Cameron Russell puts it, professional models are people who have won the genetic lottery, born with the DNA for long legs, great skin and dazzling smiles. The advertising industry presents these gorgeous folks as idealized versions of ourselves to sell us clothes, makeup, cars. But behind the fabulousness, there's always an interesting story.

Born in Manila, Geena Rocero moved to New York in 2005 to pursue a modeling career. Signed to Next Models, she has worked with Rimmel Cosmetics, Hanes, and many other fashion and beauty companies. Through her own experience into womanhood, she realized her bigger purpose in life was to share her journey and work towards justice and beauty.

More profile about the speaker
Geena Rocero | Speaker | TED.com