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Gender equality has reached the small human characters on traffic signals in Australia. Signals at ten pedestrian crossings in the city of Melbourne now depict walking red and green people in dresses. The initiative is part of a trial 12-month gender equality campaign unveiled by the city. The Minister for Women, Fiona Richardson, explained that the rationale behind the trial was to put more images of women in public places. She said: "There are many small, but symbolically significant ways that women are excluded from public space. This is a wonderful way to make public space more inclusive for women." She hopes the city's signals will have equal numbers of male and female figures in the future.

在澳大利亚，性别平等体现在小小的交通信号灯人形标志上了。墨尔本十个人行道十字路口的红绿灯人形标志穿上了裙子。该倡议是这座城市公布的为期12个月的性别平等活动的一部分。女性部长理查森(Fiona Richardson)解释说，该试验项目的理论依据是在公共场合注入更多女性形象。她说：“有许多看似微不足道，但是有着很重要的象征意义的途径，女性被排除在外。这是让公共场合对女性更加包容的好方法。”她希望这座城市的交通信号指示灯将来能够男女数量相当。

The new signals have drawn a mixed response from citizens. Many critics say the new scheme is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayers' money. A leading critic is Melbourne's mayor Robert Doyle, who told reporters: "I'm all for doing anything we can for gender equity, but really?" He added: "Unfortunately, I think this sort of costly exercise is more likely to bring derision." Others said the new images were a sign of political correctness gone crazy. Social media users asked why the image of the woman has to wear a dress, when many women wear trousers. Others said the money could have been better used for worthier projects that helped people in need.

这种新的信号指示灯引起公民各种不同的反应。许多批评家说，新的机制是不必要的，纯粹是浪费纳税人的钱。为首的批评者就是墨尔本市长多尔(Robert Doyle)。他告诉记者：“我支持一切促进性别平等的活动，但是这种做法真的有用吗？”他补充说：“不幸的是，我认为这种浪费的举动更可能引起嘲笑。”其他人表示，新的形象是政治矫正变得疯狂的标志。社交媒体用户质问为何女性形象就要穿裙子，而实际上许多女性是穿裤子的。其他人表示，纳税人的钱应该用在更有价值的项目上，用来帮助有需要的人。