moved to tears, others pushed her to run for President, and even Republicans were bowled

感動到流淚，也有人些要拱她來競選總統，甚至連共和黨員都被

over by its quality.

她的演講震撼到了

As the First Lady, Michelle Obama has been called an inspiration for her work fighting

身為第一夫人，蜜雪兒歐巴馬因她對抗肥胖的努力

obesity, and supporting education opportunities for disadvantaged girls.

並支持弱勢女孩的教育機會被認為是一位激勵人心的楷模

But what ARE the First Lady’s actual duties, and just how powerful and important is the

但是到底第一夫人的職責到底有什麼？而且這個第一夫人職位到底有多強大、

position?

多重要呢？

Well, despite the level of reverence given to the First Lady of the United States, it’s

雖然在美國，第一夫人受到高度的尊敬，但是她

actually not a “real thing”.

其實不是一個真的職位

There’s no official position in government for the spouse of a President, no official

在政府內其實沒有一個給總統的配偶的官方職位，也沒有公務上的

duties, and obviously, no salary.

職責，當然，也沒有薪水

The closest thing to actual duties is that the First Lady is expected to act as a host

第一夫人最接近是真實職責的就是大家期待第一夫人會扮演著白宮

to the White House, and organize events and ceremonies.

女主人一職，並且會舉辦宴會或典禮等活動

Of course, most of the time, this role actually falls on the Office of the First Lady of the

當然在大部分的時候，這個工作的角色其實就落在美國第一夫人

United States, which is made up of official and paid positions.

辦公室上，辦公室裡面就有正式的、給薪的職位的人員

More realistically, the role of First Lady has significantly changed over time, becoming

更加實際的說，第一夫人的角色現在已經變很多了，對於

more and more important to the President’s administration.

總統的執政越來越顯重要

Early on, during the time of Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, First Ladies were

早期的時候，在馬莎華盛頓和艾碧該亞當斯擔任第一夫人的時期，她們基本上都只是

elite public figures at the side of their husbands.

在丈夫身旁的名流公眾人物

Although they had little to no political influence, their presence did embolden other women.

雖然她們的政治影響力並不大，但是她們的存在卻會使其他女性更加勇敢

Even still, the fourth First Lady, Dolley Madison, pioneered the practice of championing

甚至在第四任第一夫人多莉麥迪遜的時候，首開第一夫人參與提倡實踐

social causes, a role which continues today.

社會目標的行動，一直延續到今日第一夫人的身上

She helped orphan children, supported women’s rights, and held her own political opinions,

她幫助孤苦無依的孩子、支持女性平權運動，她也公開的發表她自己

which she publicly voiced.

對於政治的意見

Around the 1930s, with the arrival of Eleanor Roosevelt, the role of First Lady was dramatically

大概在1930年代，隨著愛蓮娜羅斯福的出現，第一夫人的角色戲劇化地

expanded.

拓展了

Like Madison, Roosevelt was outspoken, and contributed to a newspaper column, sometimes

如同多莉麥迪遜一樣，愛蓮娜羅斯福是個直言無諱的人，而且在一個報紙的專欄發表意見，有時候

openly disagreeing with her husband.

甚至公開地的表示不贊同她丈夫的作法

She promoted more women in the workplace, civil rights, and also helped displaced World

她推廣女性職場平權運動，以及她們的公民權利，也幫助二次世界大戰

War Two refugees.

所流離失所的難民

But Roosevelt was also among the first of First Ladies to stay involved in politics

但是愛蓮娜羅斯福也是第一位在丈夫卸任後依舊繼續

after her husband’s time in office.

參與政治的第一夫人

She even headed the UN Commission on Human Rights.

她甚至擔任聯合國人權理事會的領導人物

Incredibly, although a former First Lady may soon be running the country, in the early

雖然有一位前第一夫人或許即將就要開始治理這個國家，但是令人驚訝的是

1900s, an active First Lady already assumed that role!

早在1900年代前期，就曾經有一個活躍的第一夫人這樣做了

When President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919, his wife, Edith Wilson, took over

當美國總統伍德羅威爾遜在1919年的時候中風，當時的第一夫人伊迪絲威森便接下

a number of important duties that the President would have been in charge of, and for roughly

一些原由總統負責處理的重要職務，當時大概持續了

a year and a half she effectively ran the executive branch herself.

一年半的時間，她自己成功地領導了美國行政部門

And outside of politics, the role of First Lady has grown as a social position.

而且除卻政治之外，第一夫人的角色已經被提升為一個社會職位

Ever since Jackie Kennedy’s pillbox hat swept the nation, the First Lady has become

自從賈桂琳甘迺迪歐納西斯的禮帽風靡整個美國，第一夫人就變成

a cultural icon for women everywhere.

對於女性一個重要的文化指標

Some of the more prominent First Ladies since Kennedy, including Michelle Obama, are looked

賈桂琳甘迺迪歐納西斯之後，有些更加顯眼的第一夫人像是蜜雪兒歐巴馬，不再只是

to not just as role models, but also as fashion plates.

被認為是一個模範，也同時是時尚的指標

Many have described the importance of looking elegant but fashionable, and the First Lady’s

雖然要看起來優雅又要時尚的重要性已經是老生常談，但是第一夫人的

threads are endlessly ripe for criticism and compliments alike.

衣著還是不停地受到大家類似的批判或稱讚

One of the two current presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton, served as First Lady, after

目前的總統提名人選之一，希拉蕊柯林頓，曾是一位第一夫人，在她

which time she entered the Senate, became Secretary of State, and now could be the first

進入參議院之後，成為國務卿，接下來現在或許會成為

female President ever.

史上第一位女總統

If that happens, former President Bill Clinton will then be the first ever First Gentleman of

如果美國首位女總統誕生，前總統比爾柯林頓就會成為美國史上第一位「第一先生」

the United States, so ultimately he’ll be the one tasked with throwing White House parties.

屆時他就要負責白宮晚宴派對的舉行事宜

The female vote has been a big topic of conversation this election season especially with Hillary

在本次選舉中，女性選民的走向儼然是一個大話題，特別是隨著希拉蕊

Clinton leading the Democratic Party.

柯林頓代表民主黨出戰

We sat down with a group of women to find out if having a female candidate impacts their

我們與一群女性一同坐下討論是否一位女總統候選人有沒有影響

view of this year’s race.

她們對於今年選舉的看法