[(Title)] Women Are Now Allowed to Join British Special Forces for the First Time, Defense Secretary Says.

Women are now allowed to join all units of the British military, including the special forces, for the first time.

现在在英国，女性首次被允许加入英国军队的所有单位，包括特种部队。

The United Kingdom's Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the change this week while speaking at a military training exercise on Salisbury Plain, located in central southern England.

英国国防部长加文·威廉森本周宣布进行这一变动，当时他在位于英格兰中部索尔兹伯里平原的军事训练演习上发言。

"Women have led the way with exemplary service in the armed forces for over 100 years, working in a variety of specialist and vital roles,"  Williamson said, Sky News  reported.

据《天空新闻》报道，威廉森说：“100多年来，女性在武装部队中服役，从事各种专家和重要的工作。”

"So I am delighted that from today, for the first time in its history, our armed forces will be determined by ability alone and not gender."

“所以我很高兴，从今天起，我们的武装力量将第一次由能力而非性别决定。”

A group of female soldiers pose for a photograph next to a statue of Millicent Fawcett in after participating in "Processions" to celebrate 100 years of votes for women on June 10 in London.

在参加"游行"之后，6月10日在伦敦举行的庆祝妇女投票100年之后，一群女性士兵在MillicentFawcett的雕像旁边摆放一张照片。

This week, Gavin Williamson announced that, for the first time, women are allowed to join all units of the British military, including the special forces.   Chris J. Ratcliffe/Getty Images

本周，加文·威廉森宣布，首次允许妇女参加英国军队所有单位，包括特种部队。

"Every single role in our armed forces will be open to women,

"我国武装部队中的每一项作用都将对妇女开放，”威廉森对英国报纸《每日电讯报》证实，“向女性开放所有的军队单位不仅可以使武装部队变得更现代的，而且能保证我们招募合适的人来参与合适的工作。”他指出。

"  Williamson  confirmed to British newspaper  The Telegraph.  "Opening all combat roles to women will not only make the armed forces a more modern employer but will ensure we recruit the right person for the right role,"  he pointed out.

Women were banned from serving in the U.K.'s close combat units until 2016. After that ban was lifted, they were still prevented from serving as frontline infantry units.

2016年之前，英国禁止女性在近身作战部队服役。禁令解除后，她们仍不能加入前线步兵部队。

With the military's new decision, all women and men will be required to pass the same gender-neutral test, which requires a high level of muscular endurance, strength and stamina, according to officers who spoke to British media.

根据军方的新决定，所有男女都必须通过同样的性别中立测试，这要求有相当强度的肌肉耐力、力量和耐力。

Although most defense analysts have welcomed the decision, some have raised concerns.

尽管大多数国防分析家欢迎这一决定，但有些人提出了问题。

Retired officer Colonel Richard Kemp has said that the policy would  "cost lives"  and would  "lead to divisiveness"  that could undermine teamwork, according to  The Telegraph.

据英国《每日电讯报》报道，退休军官理查德·凯普上校表示，这项政策将“牺牲生命”，“导致分歧”，“这可能会破坏团队精神”。

Britain's Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet in Downing Street in London on October 9   TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images

英国国防部长加文·威廉姆森将于10月9日出席伦敦唐宁街内阁每周会议。

But Kat Dixon, a 28-year-old trooper, pushed back against such arguments.  "Female soldiers are already here, and my gender hasn't posed a challenge because if you meet the requirements there isn't a role that is off limits,"  Dixon,

但是，28岁的卡特·狄克森是一名警官，她反对这种说法。“女兵已经在军队里，我的性别并没有带来挑战，因为如果满足了要求，就不应该收到限制。”

who became the first British female gunner of a main battle tank, told the newspaper.

她告诉报纸说，她是第一名英国主战坦克的女炮手。

In the U.S., the Defense Department announced in December 2015 that starting next January, women would be allowed to serve in all roles of the military. The decision came after consultation with leaders from the Army and the Marines.

2015年12月，美国国防部宣布，从次年1月起，将允许女性担任军队所有职务。这一决定是在与陆军和海军领导人协商后作出的。

Although the Marines suggested that women be kept from a few specific combat roles, the Army disagreed and former Defense Secretary Ash Carter moved forward with the decision.

虽然海军陆战队建议将妇女保留在少数特定的战斗角色中，但是陆军不同意，前国防部长卡特也同意这一决定。