美国海军开始给女性服役人员在头发的外形和外观上提供更多选择。
The Navy has approved changes to let servicewomen wear a ponytail or have other hairstyles. The new rules – announced during a Facebook Live event – went into effect on Wednesday.
海军已经批准改革允许女性服役人员梳马尾辫或其它发型。这些新规定在一次Facebook直播活动上得到宣布，并已于周三正式生效。
The Navy has long barred females from letting their hair down, including tying long hair in a ponytail.
海军长期禁止女性披着头发，包括将长发扎成马尾辫。
Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said the changes aim to make the Navy a more "inclusive team."
海军作战部长理查森(John Richardson)上将表示，这些改革旨在让海军变成一支更具包容性的队伍。
The new rules came about after several servicewomen suggested changes to the hairstyle policy.
美国海军在几位女性服役人员建议修改发型政策之后出台了这些新规定。
A group of Navy women was asked to consider different proposals, some of which were eventually approved by military officials.
一群女水兵被要求提出不同建议，其中一些最终得到了军方官员的批准。
Captain Thurraya Kent was a member of this working group. She said they supported an expansion of approved hairstyles to make it easier for women to carry out their duties. It would also prevent the need for women to keep processing their hair with chemicals.
肯特(Thurraya Kent)上校是这个工作组的一员。她说，她们支持扩大批准的发型，使女性更容易履职。它还可以避免女性用化学品打理头发的需求。
Female service members will also now be permitted to wear what the Navy describes as lock hairstyles -- pieces of hair that are tightly pulled into rope-like strands.
女性服役人员现在还将被允许梳海军所说的脏辫，即将一缕缕头发紧编成绳状。
Kent has served in the Navy for nearly 26 years. She noted that her hair has been an issue throughout her military service. Kent told the Associated Press that she spent a lot of time deciding how to wear it when deployed. She said it could also be a problem trying to make sure she did not violate policies after doing an exercise or other non-work-related activities.
肯特已经在海军服役了近26年。她注意到她的头发在整个服役期间一直都是个问题。肯特对美联社表示，她在部署时花了很多时间来决定如何梳理头发。她说，在从事运动或其它跟工作无关的活动后，要确保自己没有违反政策也是个问题。
Kent said she was pleased that Navy leaders listened to the suggestions and tried to understand the needs of female sailors.
肯特说，她很高兴海军领导人听取了这些建议，，并试图理解女水兵的这些需求。
At the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island, some women said they looked forward to moving away from a bun hairstyle, which is sometimes too large for a helmet.
在罗德岛的美国海军战争学院，一些女性表示，她们期待着摆脱发髻，这种发型有时候太大，戴不上头盔。
Legalman First Class Tamatha Schulmerich told the Associated Press she has been forced to keep her hair in a bun because it goes down to her lower back. She said it was especially difficult when she had to wear a flight helmet.
一级法务舒曼里奇(Tamatha Schulmerich)对美联社表示，因为长发及腰，她被迫将头发盘成发髻。她说，当她必须戴上飞行头盔时就尤为艰难。
Lieutenant Commander Jess Cameron said that while the hairstyle changes might seem like a small thing, she thinks they send a larger message.
海军少校卡梅伦(Jess Cameron)表示，虽然发型改革可能看上去是一件小事，但是她认为它们传达出了更多信息。
"I think it's a step forward," she told the AP. "They're getting more female feedback in the service, and updating what I think are somewhat antiquated guidelines that maybe no longer serve their purpose in today's society, today's military," she said.
她对美联社表示：“我认为这是军方的进步。他们获得了军中更多女性的反馈，并且更新了一些我认为有点过时的指导方针。这些指导方针在当今社会可能不再满足当今军队的目的。”
Navy officials say hairstyle rules are important for safety reasons and to make sure all service members present the same look. Even though the new rules permit a ponytail most of the time, the hairstyle will still be banned when women are working around heavy machinery.
海军官员表示，发型规定对安全很重要，也是为了确保所有服役人员外表统一。尽管新规允许大多数时间扎马尾，但是当女性在重型机械附近工作时，这种发型仍将被禁止。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)