Buffalo Grove gay pride advocacy organization hosts rally against Supreme Court overturn of Roe v. Wade: ‘Reproductive rights are LGBTQ+ rights’ – Chicago Tribune

Nearly a week after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a previous, long-standing high court ruling on a woman’s right to have an abortion, a Buffalo Grove-based community organization led a local rally to protest the decision.

“We have to scream and lament … this is all about action,” said Carolyn Pinta, director of BG Pride, which organized the demonstration.

In a decision publicly released June 24, the landmark Roe v. Wade was struck down when the Supreme Court voted 6 to 3 on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, upholding the legality of a 2018 Mississippi law that banned abortion past 15 weeks of gestation.

Buffalo Grove police estimated that 150 people attended the “Stand with BG Pride” rally on June 30 at Mike Rylko Community Park, an event held as a fundraiser and protest of the Supreme Court decision. The rally was hosted by BG Pride, a community LGBTQ advocacy organization.

“It’s about ‘OK, what do we need to do to solve the situations that we know are about to occur?’” said Pinta.

The protest had a theme of “First Roe, we know what’s next.”

The concern is that the U.S. Supreme Court will seek to make decisions on same sex marriage or contraception bans, Pinta said.

The demonstration included speakers such as Jenna Gayhart, 19, of Buffalo Grove, a 2021 Buffalo Grove High School graduate, who had planned a Roe v. Wade response protest in Arlington Heights days before this one, which attracted more than 500 people, Gayhart said.

“On a whim, I just decided to create a little protest,” Gayhart said. “It just kept growing, so the littlest thing can turn into the biggest thing.”

Another women’s rights protest planned by Gayhart is scheduled for July 11 in downtown Arlington Heights, she said.

“Be loud, use your voice, do what you can, show up,” Gayhart said.

Ahead of the start of the Buffalo Grove rally, Carolyn Pinta’s daughter, Molly, 16, a rising junior at Adlai Stevenson High School, said she was “very much” alarmed about the Supreme Court’s decision.

“I feel like this is only the beginning of the horrible things that our government is about to start doing because now they see that they can get away with pretty much … anything they want to,” the teen said. “It’s really a scary time.”

There was also a voter registration table at the rally site, and six teenagers registered that evening as new legal voters.

“There is a disconnect with these teens [nationwide] protesting and not voting,” Carolyn Pinta said. “We must work on it.”

Also speaking at the rally was Mike Ziri, director of public policy at Equality Illinois, a state LGBTQ civil rights organization. Nearly $1,000 was raised at the rally, as of a July 1 count organizers said, some of the proceeds to benefit the Chicago Abortion Fund and Equality Illinois.

“This is so exciting and inspirational and amazing, and this is exactly what we need right now more than ever,” Ziri told the audience.

He added: “Reproductive rights are LGBTQ+ rights. The two are inextricably linked. There are no LGBTQ+ rights without reproductive rights.”

Ziri said rights include privacy and the freedom to build families.

“And don’t let anyone ever try to take those apart in your presence,” Ziri said.

Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, D-15th District, who grew up in Elk Grove Village and now lives in Mount Prospect, also addressed the audience.

“It is overwhelming to see the movement and progress that has been made but I think we are all coming together today and thank God, waking up to see what is at risk,” said Morrison, who is running for reelection in November.

Jessica Jacobson Riddick, a member of the Community Consolidated School District 21 (CCSD21) Board of Education member, attended with her 8- and 11-year-old children.

“I’m filled with a lot of anger and a lot of sadness and feeling a little helpless as well,” Jacobson Riddick said. “But we’re here with our community and we’re doing what we can to make sure people feel supported, that there is a future ahead of us that’s better than the present we’re living in.”

John Corso, of Mundelein, held a “Love Wins” sign during the rally.

“Everybody has a voice,” Corso said. “A small voice is still a voice. It’s better to be vocal than to have nothing come out of your mouth. Every voice counts.”

Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer.

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