United States: Florida appeals court bans abortion of 16-year-old girl
The Florida Court of Appeals has just upheld a decision preventing a 16-year-old girl from having an abortion, finding that she was "not mature enough", a decision that has angered several elected Democrats.
(Illustrative Image) AP - Delcia Lopez
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The Florida Court of Appeals has just upheld a decision preventing a 16-year-old girl from having an abortion, finding that she was “
not mature enough”.
A decision that angers several elected Democrats, who speak of a "
war on women
" in Florida.
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“
In what world is a 16 year old too immature to have an abortion but mature enough to bear and raise a child?
“, was indignant Joyce Beatty, an elected Democrat from Ohio, supported by her colleagues Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Katherine Clark of Massachusetts.
On social networks, many Internet users also underlined the apparent inconsistency of the judgment and expressed their anger, some even called for a "
boycott of Florida
".
In what world is a 16 year old too immature to receive an abortion but mature enough to commit to carrying and raising a child?
MAGA-Republicans haven't wasted any time weaponizing the loss of Roe against women and girls everywhere.
https://t.co/Dv7V9BAv5C
— Rep.
Joyce Beatty (@RepBeatty) August 17, 2022
In June, the United States Supreme Court reversed
the constitutional guarantee of the right to abortion
.
Since then, a dozen Republican states have banned it in almost all cases;
Florida has changed its law to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy instead of 24.
Not “
mature enough to decide to abort
”
The teenager dismissed on Monday is only 10 weeks pregnant, but as she is a minor, she needed the consent of one of her parents, but they are both deceased.
She therefore asked for a derogation from the rule, explaining that she is still in school, that she does not have a job, and that the father of the child cannot help her.
But this Monday, the Court of Appeal confirmed a first judgment, considering that "
it has not established that she was mature enough to decide whether or not to have an abortion
".
Lois Frankel, an elected Democrat from Massachusetts, denounced "
a dangerous and terrifying example of the war against women in Florida
", and called to fight for "
the health, safety and freedom of women
".
This is a dangerous & horrific example of Florida's war on women.
If a young girl is too immature to choose an abortion, how is she fit to carry a pregnancy to term?
This is unacceptable.
We must fight for the health, safety, & freedom of women.https://t.co/jkS7HcKkLE
— Rep.
Lois Frankel (@RepLoisFrankel) August 17, 2022
►
To read: Abortion: two American women prosecuted because of private exchanges on Facebook
(
with AFP
)
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