The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 22

February 16, 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 10 Opinions Freedom to marry and LGBTQ+ rights February is considered the love month, where couples show their affection for each other and many people end up making the lifelong decision of marriage. Feb. 12, just two days before Valentine’s Day, is Freedom to Marry Day. This day was formed because, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that anyone can marry whoever nationwide. Now, a lot of people say that marriage isn’t important, but knowing that you can now marry anyone you’d like to marry in the country speaks volumes. The majority of people also consider this a win for the LGBTQ+ community and for people in other countries. In other countries, the government executes people for wanting to be with someone who isn’t the opposite gender. From our country, allowing people to marry who they want shows those people in other countries that it’s okay to be who you are and to love whoever you love. LGBTQ+ rights go hand in hand with this day. Even though Pride Month is recognized in June, many romantic holidays and traditions can now be celebrated without discrimination at other times of the year. Even though some citizens of the country do not support the LGBTQ+ community, we know that there are some laws protecting us and giving us the same rights as everyone else gives us strength. Many people, including myself, have been discriminated against and called many slurs just for being who we are, and now, we are starting to be recognized as equal, which is what we’ve been fighting for. An amazing example of Freedom to Marry Day and LGBTQ+ rights showing other countries that it’s okay is in South Korea. Now, the government doesn’t execute people just for being a sexuality other than heterosexual, but the LGBTQ+ community is still heavily discriminated against there and in many other countries. However, with Pride Month and “Information overload” is a concept that explains the difficulty found inmaking decisions when provided excess information. This information anxiety, as it is sometimes referred to, is something we experience often in this age of technology. Namely, we experience this when looking for something to watch. HBO Max is a great example of a huge archive of movies and television that provides way too many options. HBOMax provides over 1,300 movies. You couldn’t skim through all of the options the service provides in less than 45 minutes without skipping a good number of rows. I mean, it is truly TOOMUCH. Don’t get me wrong, HBO is “HBO” for a reason. They maintain their fame and glory by remaining at the top of home entertainment. Their selection is clearly one of great size and strength. However, I feel as we search for more entertainment and are constantly scrolling through options, we get numb to the real objective and experience a sense of anxiety and confusion. Some people identify as certified binge-watchers, but at what point does the overstimulation of the mind become toxic? Much like our bodies need breaks from overstimulation, so do our brains. Spend some time this week away from a screen and just breathe amidst some nature. Then, you can catch all the Cartoon Network classics you know and love. By: Geena Anderson Contributing Writer HBO Max and a generation of overindulgence By: J. L. Glasthal Contributing Writer GRAPHIC PRINTED PERMISSION BY E.COWAN February 12 is Freedom to Marry Day, which supports the LGBTQ+ community. the LGBTQ+ community making a voice for ourselves, many people in South Korea are starting to be more accepting of this community, especially in younger generations. There isn’t a right to marry whoever they want and they don’t have the same rights as LGBTQ+ Americans do, but they are starting to have pride parades and protests stating that they want the same rights as everyone else in their country.