Britney Spears: Free Britney Movement
The singer Britney Spears, famous for her many albums, tours, and overall success, was under a conservatorship held by her father Jamie Spears since her public breakdown twelve years ago which resulted in hospitalization and treatment. In 2008, she marked her comeback with the release of her album Circus and since then she has continued to release albums and tour, but she never maintained full control of her own life.
Britney’s long-time fans have vocalized their concern and dissatisfaction at the singer still being under a conservatorship at 38 years old. Believing Britney also dreams of being free, fans launched the #Free Britney Movement, using social media and other platforms to spread awareness to the inconsistency surrounding the conservatorship. At the time of the breakdown, Jamie Spears petitioned courts for a “temporary” conservatorship because he believed his daughter was unable to properly care for herself. Granted with the conservatorship, he was able to maintain control and make decisions regarding Britney’s finances, health, business deals, and personal life up until 2019. The movement halted for some time, because they didn’t feel a need to protect brinany, but the movement made a resurgence because of an episode of the Britney’s Gram podcast. During the podcast, an anonymous lawyer who was part of the firm that oversees the conservatorship conveyed worry.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Britney had hoped to remove her father as head of her conservatorship. Her attorney Sam Ingham filed new documents revealing the singer had requested that her father be immediately removed as the sole conservator of her estate, but Los Angeles superior court judge Brenda Penny denied her request. Britneys attorney spoke out saying “My client has informed me that she is afraid of her father. She will not perform again if her father is in charge of her career.” In an interview on CNN, Britney's father opened up regarding their conservatorship battle. He revealed that he has not spoken to Britney since her team filed to remove him and claimed that they were on good terms prior to the filing. He told CNN, “When a family member needs special care and protection, families need to step up, as I have done for the last 12-plus years, to safeguard, protect and continue to love Britney unconditionally.”
It's not just fans who are wary of the conservatorship, Britney’s siblings and celebrity friends have also spoken out. On Drew Plotkin’s podcast As NOT Seen on TV, Britney's brother, Bryan Spears, did an interview where he talked about it saying, “she’s been in this thing for quite some time now. Obviously, there was a need for it in the beginning. She’s always wanted to get out of it. It’s very frustrating to have-whether someone coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has to be frustrating. She’s wanted
to get out of it for quite some time.” On the other hand, Britney’s younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, shut down Instagram critics who claimed that the family weren’t doing enough to support Britany through her struggles. She talked about the importance of respecting the situation and privacy of a person who struggles with mental health no matter how it appears to the public.
Britney’s longtime friend Paris Hilton also spoke out regarding Britney, stating that she knows what it's like to have little control of one’s life. She shares her concerns of not being able to live your life as an adult. In an interview on Andy Cohen Live, Paris said, “after just working your whole life and working so hard, she’s this icon and I just feel like she has no control of her life whatsoever and I just don't think that’s fair.” The way Britney has been treated like a child for many years isn’t just a conspiracy that fans made up, it’s real and concerning to many friends and family.
In July, Britney testified in court that she would not perform again if her father retains control over her life and requested he be replaced as her conservator; She stated that “this conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good, I deserve to have a life.” Jamie Spears said he is ready to step down as his daughter's conservator “when the time is right" and pledges to participate in an "orderly transition.”
Nearly 14 years after Britney was placed under the conservatorship, Judge Brenda Penny ruled that the conservatorship was over, “The conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is no longer required..The conservatorship is hereby terminated.” The legal dispute with her father is likely to continue, though, and in July, Spears said she was prepared to "press charges" against her father. "I have to get rid of my Dad and charge him with conservatorship abuse," she said.
The star will begin a new chapter of her life, including getting married to her fiancé Sam Asghari without needing the approval of her conservators. Britney thanked the Free Britney movement for using their voices and shining a light on her circumstances. “You guys rock,” she said, “Honestly, my voice was muted and threatened for so long and I wasn't able to speak up or say anything, and because of you guys and awareness of what was going on and delivering that news to the public for so long, you gave an awareness to all of them." She believes them responsible for getting her where she is, "Honestly, I think you guys saved my life in a way. One hundred percent."
Spears also called out the system for putting her and others in situations as bad as this: “I'm a very strong woman, so I can only imagine what the system has done to those people. So hopefully my story will make an impact and make some changes in the corrupt system." Outside the courthouse after the terminations of her conservatorship, her lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, also touched on this, “If this happened to Britney, it can happen to anybody,” he said.
When asked whether Ms. Spears would ever perform again, Rosengart added that, for the first time in over a decade, “it’s up to her.”