Lincoln Ave. Progressives rally for women’s, LGBT rights in Charleston – Journal Gazette / Times-Courier

CHARLESTON — The newly founded Lincoln Ave. Progressives group held its first rally Saturday afternoon in support of women’s and LGBT rights.

The event was held in conjunction with the national Women’s March, as dozens of smaller protests popped up around the country to coincide with the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. 

Around 15 supporters came from from across the area, with some traveling from Effingham, Douglas and Shelby counties.

Jacque Cisney, a frequent attendee of rallies in the area, came with her daughter, Juniper Cisney, who is nearly 2. Jacque Cisney shared during the event that she wants easier access to abortion.

“Because I really want to be able to have an abortion easily, very easily, actually,” she said. “I don’t just want the basic ability to have one.”

Cisney has brought her daughter with her for each of the protests in Coles County focused on reproductive rights since the overturning of the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade in June.

“I think the primary importance is because we’re both female individuals and females have been encouraged to be submissive and docile under the patriarchy,” Cisney said. “I think that it’s really important that women be very loud about what they want and for us to take back a society that looks safe to raise our kids, and because for too long society has been unsafe, and has been a place where moms don’t want to put their children if they’re not upper middle class and white.”

She added that she believes those with wombs should be able to access the health care they need, “not just the health care that conservative white men think they need.”

Siblings Kalea and Ben Yagow, of St. Elmo, traveled to Charleston because it was the closest rally to them that was being held in connection with the national march.

Kalea Yagow was interning out of state when Roe v. Wade was overturned, but had attended the Women’s March in Holland, Michigan, in 2021, so she was signed up for text notifications for future events. When she got a text regarding upcoming rallies, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to participate.

Her brother came in support because of the “widespread impacts” the overturning of Roe v. Wade could have. He said he felt it was important to protest because he wants to grow up in a world where he feels safe.

“I don’t want to grow up in an (outdated) environment that’s unrealistic and not gonna evolve anytime soon,” Ben Yagow said. “It has to start somewhere.”

Kalea Yagow added, “(It is) especially important in this conservative area.”