One of the world’s most famous pop stars, Britney Spears, is back in the news this week after making an impassioned speech to an LA court. For the first time in thirteen years, Britney Spears is speaking out against the strict conservatorship that her family and team placed her under in 2008.
On the 23rd of June, 2021, Britney addressed Los Angeles probate judge Brenda Perry via a phone link. After years of silence, the singer shared her harrowing experience of being held in the legal conservatorship. In the 24-minute statement, the 39-year-old called the arrangement “abusive”, stated that she wants to sue her family and in one of the most shocking examples of control, shared that she isn’t even allowed to get her contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) removed.
While this is the first time that Britney has been so explicit about her conservatorship, the events leading up to this week have been building for years.
What is a conservatorship?
A conservatorship is when a judge appoints a guardian or protector to manage the finances and daily lives of another adult. They’re usually granted to people who are unable to make their own decisions for example, people with dementia or severe mental illnesses.
According to the BBC, Britney’s conservatorship is split into two parts. One aspect controls her estate and finances while the other is for her as an individual.
According to the New York Times, Britney has been expressing opposition to the conservatorship for years stating that it ruled everything from who she could date to the colour of her kitchen cabinets.
What’s the timeline of Britney’s conservatorship?
Britney has been at the mercy of her conservatorship — helmed by her father Jamie Spears — since 2008.
2008 After being in the limelight for a decade, a young Britney was struggling with mental health issues, addiction and reported substance abuse. Following a highly publicised breakdown (where the pop star shaved her head and attacked a paparazzi with an umbrella) she was placed under a 5150 hold in a psychiatric ward. And it was after this that Jamie Spears asked an LA court to place Britney under a temporary conservatorship – which was later extended indefinitely.
2019 Jamie Spears temporarily stepped down from the conservatorship citing health reasons. A care professional named Jodi Montgomery took over the conservatorship from Britney’s father, and the singer has asked that this change be made permanent.
2020 In November a judge refused to remove Jamie Spears from the conservatorship permanently, instead giving financial firm the Bessemer Trust co-conservator of her nearly USD$60 million fortune. As 2020 came to a close, a judge extended Jamie Spears’ conservatorship rights until September of 2021.
What about #FreeBritney?
Since the conservatorship was put in place in 2008, fans have been asking whether it really is in the pop star’s best interest. The #freebritney movement is a grassroots group of fans who are raising awareness around the legal battle and speak up on behalf of Britney who, until recently, has largely remained silent.
While it seems as if the hashtag has only been circulating in the last couple of years, fan site freebritney.net was actually created in 2009.
The #freebritney movement burst back into the pop culture world two years ago when podcast Britney’s Gram released an “emergency episode”. Run by American comedians Tess Barker and Barbara Grey, Britney’s Gram is a deep dive into deciphering Britney’s Spears’ cryptic Instagram account. In the infamous episode, an anonymous lawyer (supposedly a part of the conservatorship team) solidified fans’ concerns for Britney by confirming their suspicions that she was being mistreated.
#FreeBritney protestors regularly campaign outside of court hearings and share their pleas on social media.
What’s Next?
This week in court Britney made her intentions crystal clear: “I want to end this conservatorship without being evaluated. This conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life.”
After Britney’s emotional plea, the LA judge told Britney her lawyer could file a formal petition to end the conservatorship.
While Britney’s conservatorship is a complicated legal battle, it’s more clear than ever that the pop star is fervently objecting to the strict and controlled life she has been living for the past 13 years.
Public awareness is at an all time high after the New York Times documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’ was released in February 2021. Although they were once called conspiracy theorists, #freebritney fans won’t stop making noise any time soon.
As Britney herself gains the courage to speak out against her family and team, let’s hope that this latest development means that Britney Spears will be free – and soon – after all.
