Sexual and gender minority young adult (16-26) experiences of abortion and seeking judicial bypass in the US
Abortion
Awarded 2019
Emerging Scholars in Family Planning
Elizabeth Bartelt, MPH
Indiana University
$7,437

This study will examine the experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people who have had at least one abortion. This study will be innovative by lifting voices of those who are typically excluded from traditional women’s health research and practice. The overall focus of this study will be on understanding SGM young people’s experiences with abortion and judicial bypass. In order to accomplish this, we aim to: 1) identify the ways in which SGM young people seek abortion care and their unique experiences with this care 2) determine the connections between judicial bypass usage and SGM identity. The qualitative methodology will allow for a nuanced understanding of experiences with abortion and judicial bypass. This study will be conducted with utilizing non-profit advocacy organizations as a way to ensure community perspectives are reflected in methodology, findings and analysis. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University and have worked in reproductive health for a decade, at the intersections of both practice and research. Additionally, I have worked with SGM youth in a wide range of capacities. My understandings of and experiences with many sides of these complex issues will directly inform the work with participants from the points of personal and professional understanding in this study. This study will then be provided back to advocacy organizations through infographics and reports, presented at national conferences to those working with SGM youth, and written as research papers for scientific journals.