Supporters of women rights rallied Saturday across the country, including in northern Illinois. The goal was to send a message to the incoming presidential administration and coordinate their efforts to defend the rights they feel are threatened.
DeKalb County
It was a cold morning, but the sun shone brightly. Folks gathered on the edge of the street surrounding the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Lynn Fazekas read the sign she was holding: “Women's rights are human rights, but I, but I think in actuality, of course, we don't get treated that way.”
She said locally, domestic violence is a problem that needs to draw more attention. In DeKalb County, two women were killed by their partners in less than a three-month span.
“I'm not sure that it's prioritized highly enough among not just, not just the police department, but also the rest of the system as well. (It) needs to prioritize this higher.”
Nancy Proesel is a board member with Safe Passage. The organization is the area’s crisis center for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. She said on top of her mind is the ban on abortions in many parts of the country.
“Many people, especially the people that are making the decision, have no idea whatsoever how common life-threatening conditions are during childbirth or before childbirth, and to understand those and be able to give a person an abortion because it will save their life is only acceptable.”
Several folks carried messages of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
One 16-year-old’s sign read “I stand with our trans siblings.”
They said, “I just feel like it's not only important to support women, but trans women and all trans people. Because I feel like if, if one group is targeted, everyone is targeted.”
And for a DeKalb special education teacher, her concerns also lie in Trump’s pledges to eliminate the Department of Education and launch a mass deportation campaign. She said, “That is going to drastically affect my special ed students and the families that I work with every day, and so I will keep fighting. I will learn my rights. I will learn the rights from my families that I work with every day. And we will not stop. We will not let this be easy for them.”
Rockford
In Rockford, the sentiments were the same, but rally attendees got a break from the cold as they filled Memorial Hall for two hours of sharing, support and planning.
The rally organized by Women’s March Rockford was called “RESISTERHOOD: Inform – Empower – Act.” It got underway by passing a mic so people could share what keeps them up at night: That included concerns for their students who fear their parents may be deported, a growing disregard for truth, voting rights, trans rights, disability rights…
Then leaders from seven organizations answered questions and offered a path forward for people who feel their rights are threatened under the new administration.
Becky Simon is president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois. She said, “One of the most important things we can do for ourselves and for the next generation is to educate ourselves on mis- and disinformation and call it out when you see it.” She said two of her organization’s biggest goals now are restoring all of the Voting Rights Act and ending the Electoral College system of presidential elections. The League is also pre-registering voters: That allows people as young as 16 to register to vote so they are ready to go once they turn 18.
Phyllis Gallisath is the founder of the LIAM Foundation, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. “Now is the time to stand up and demand accountability. If you see discrimination, file a case. If you witness violence or hate crimes, report them. If someone's rights are being trampled, speak up and fight back.”
Mary McNamara Bernsten heads Women's March Rockford. She cautioned that generally, women already have too many duties and responsibilities at home and work, but they're needed for this fight. “What are you going to take off your plate and what are you going to add?” she asked the crowd. “Are you going to add writing your legislators? Are you going to connect with your city councilperson or your Winnebago County Board member? Are you going to volunteer for a woman who’s running for office? Are you going to run for office?”
Other organizations presenting at the Rockford rally were the Rockford YWCA’s immigration office, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, the Family Peace Center, and RAMP. They advocate for people with disabilities, health care, immigrants and victims of domestic violence.
Now that the annual rally is over, Women's March Rockford is coordinating education efforts and connecting people to the groups that can offer a focus to the energy they’ve built up since the last election.