Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bartelt, a Center for Sexual Health Promotion (CSHP) doctoral candidate at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, has been awarded a 2019 Emerging Scholars in Family Planning grant, a highly competitive funding mechanism that aims to support trainees in establishing significant and innovative family planning research portfolios. 

Funded by the Society of Family Planning (SFP), the project will focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other (LGBTQ+) sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults’ experiences with abortion access. It will be conducted using qualitative interviews with 16-26 year-old individuals throughout the country who identify as SGM who have had an abortion or who have had an abortion via judicial bypass.

In 36 states, young people under the age of 18 who wish to have an abortion have to obtain consent from one parent or guardian. For many young people, this may mean being thrown out of the house, being beaten or abused, or in some other way traumatized. These youth can plead their case before a judge and sometimes receive a judicial bypass to access abortion.

Little is currently known about those who are seeking judicial bypass and this study will provide more nuanced information by exploring the who and the why of those who undergo the judicial bypass process.

This unique research project will lead to opportunities for better advocacy, policies, and targeted funds for those most in need, and also provide better information for reproductive health providers who serve SGM individuals.