Center for Sexual Health Promotion doctoral candidate Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bartelt 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. 

This project funded by Society of Family Planning (SFP) will focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other (LGBTQ+) sexual and gender minority (SGM) young adults' experiences with abortion access. This 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/guardian. For many young people, this may mean being thrown out of the house, being beaten/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 information 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. 

We are extremely proud of Lizzy for being awarded this prestigious funding for her unique research project focusing on such dramatically understudied health-related issues during a time of political and other challenges. She continues to shine as the superstar that she is!