This week, Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal ruled against judicial waivers, the legal process by which pregnant teenagers seeking an abortion can get permission from a judge in the state of Florida — rather than a parent or a guardian.

In response, Debra Hauser, President of the national youth reproductive and sexual health organization Advocates for Youth, issued the following statement:

“We are incredibly disappointed by Florida’s appellate court ruling, which seeks to eliminate one of the few remaining legal pathways to abortion for pregnant youth in Florida. 

Young people already face disproportionate barriers to health care access and to abortion care in particular. With this decision, the District Court will create even higher barriers to reproductive health care for young people in Florida – and particularly for young people who cannot or do not want to involve parents or other guardians in their abortion experience.

People of all ages must be able to choose when and whether they become parents. Advocates for Youth will never stop fighting for young people’s right to bodily autonomy, including their right to access abortion care.”

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Advocates for Youth is a 501(c)3 organization that champions efforts that help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates for Youth boldly advocates for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health, focusing its work on young people ages 14-24 in the U.S. and around the globe.

For Immediate Release: May 19, 2025

Contact: Eleanor Naiman, eleanor.naiman@advocatesforyouth.org