A hashtag that has taken over the world – #FreeBritney.
It has been just about 5 months since global pop superstar Britney Spears testified virtually in a Los Angeles courtroom to end the court-appointed conservatorship that has “taken control of her life”. The 23-minute long testimony features Britney Spears outlining the inhumane treatment she has undergone since her father, Jamie Spears, was named the sole conservator of her estate.
The conservatorship, which started in 2008, was put in place to “protect” Britney’s fortune and life after she suffered a mental breakdown that put her in a hospital. Since then, Britney has released 4 studio albums, completed 3 worldwide tours, and performed a 248-show concert residency in Las Vegas. Yet, she has just as many rights as a little girl. 13 years later, Britney has finally spoken out for the first time against her father and shared her wishes to end the “abusive” conservatorship.
Throughout her time in court, Britney dropped several bombshells covering the unimaginable control that the conservatorship has on her life; one of them being her right to reproduce. Britney said, “I have an [IUD] inside my body right now… This so-called team won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out because they don’t want me to have any more children.” The simple statement set off national headlines.
Since the 1970s many states have granted women under the age of 18 the ability to control their own bodies (through birth control) without parental consent. But here is Britney Spears, a 39-year-old mother of two, who is not allowed to continue to have her own family because of the control of her father.
Another bombshell Britney dropped was when she equated the conservatorship to “sex trafficking” because she was being “forced” to work. In 2018, Britney says she felt threatened to sign on to do her “Piece of Me” Tour after the completion of her Las Vegas residency under the same name. As a loyal fan and someone who saw her on that tour, it makes me sick knowing that the night that I regard as one of the best of my life happened because Britney felt “forced” and “threatened” to do it. Yet, she did do it, all 31 shows. If this doesn’t warrant the utmost respect from the public, I don’t know what does.
The star also addressed in her testimony that she had been “embarrassed” to talk about the situation for fear of public opposition. Britney admitted to lying on social media. In one Instagram post, Britney says, “I’m totally fine. I’m extremely happy.” However, in court she admits, “I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day.”
The last few months brought an outcry of support from fellow celebrities and former collaborators on social media. Longtime friends like Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera showed their love for the woman they knew as a young girl. And a more recent collaborator, Iggy Azalea, noted how she witnessed the mistreatment of Britney by her father first-hand whilst working with her in promoting their 2015 song, Pretty Girls. In her tweet, Azalea noted that Britney was restricted from the most “bizarre” things including “how many sodas [Britney] was allowed to drink”.
New reports even show that a former security firm monitored her phone and placed a listening device in her bedroom.
The fight for Britney’s freedom has almost reached its end. After hiring celebrity lawyer Matt Rosengart, Britney has been able to suspend her father from his conservator position, and on November 12, 2021, a hearing will determine whether or not to suspend the conservatorship altogether. And in the few weeks leading up to this final hearing, Britney has not been silent. Long-winded Instagram captions had stated countless times how she wishes to see her family in jail and is ready for a new life. It seems as though she has taken that first step to that new life in getting engaged to her boyfriend of almost 5 years, fitness influencer, Sam Ashgari.
Although the #FreeBritney movement may be reaching its end in actually “freeing” Britney, it’s important to understand the implications behind what a simple hashtag meant and was able to do. Supporting the #FreeBritney movement was about supporting reproductive rights for women. Supporting the #FreeBritney movement was about advocating for mental health. And lastly, supporting the #FreeBritney movement is about supporting basic human rights. Because of the power of this hashtag, Britney Spears was able to get her life back. I can only wish so much joy and happiness to someone who throughout their career has done the same for me and millions of fans worldwide.
#FreeBritney.