Detained Teen “Jane Doe” Has Obtained an Abortion, Following a Lengthy Court Battle
#JusticeForJane has prevailed. After a monthlong court battle, a detained teen immigrant known only as Jane Doe (due to her age) has been able to have the abortion she requested when she first learned she was pregnant last month, after crossing the border into Texas from Mexico.
Early Wednesday morning, a Texas court ruled 6-3 in favor of Doe, and she had her procedure later the same day. Afterwards, through her court-appointed guardian, Doe released a powerful statement thanking those who supported her.
“When I was detained, I was placed in a shelter for children. It was there that I was told I was pregnant. I knew immediately what was best for me then, as I do now — that I’m not ready to be a parent,” Doe wrote. While the teen felt nervous about her court proceedings (which were necessary under Texas’ “parental consent” law), she said the judge put her at ease.
Doe went on to talk about the ways that government officials tried to “change” her mind by showing her sonograms and council her on keeping the baby, but ultimately, she says she knew that her decision was the right one, and one made between her “and God.”
“No one should be shamed for making the right decision for themselves,” Doe wrote. “I would not tell any other girl in my situation what they should do. That decision is hers and hers alone.”
While Doe waited for nearly a month for the final court ruling, she says that although the wait was difficult, she is ultimately grateful that the judges have finally ruled in her favor. She also thanked all the folks around the country who have supported her throughout her entire ordeal, and at the end of the day, the teen wants what any citizen wants, which is why she came to the US to begin with — to study to become a nurse and work with the elderly, and have a better life overall.
“This is my life,” Doe says of her choice to have an abortion. “I want a better future. I want justice.”
Did you support the #JusticeForJane movement? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photo via Washington Post/Getty)
