FreeBritney Internationally renowned pop star Britney Spears’ journey to freedom
B
ritney Spears has had enough. On June 23, Spears addressed the L.A. Court, asking to end her conservatorship. “All I want is to own my money, for this to end and for my boyfriend to drive me in his car,” Spears said. “This conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life. [...] I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does by having a child, a family, any of those things, and more.” Following her hospitalization for a public breakdown in Feb. 2008, Spears was placed in a conservatorship under her father, Jamie Spears. The legal arrangement gave Jamie Spears the right to control Britney’s personal affairs, career and finances. A year later, in 2009, the fan-led #FreeBritney movement was born. Supporters began to speculate that Spears was forced to perform in front of millions of fans yet was unable to make her own medical and financial decisions. Public outrage at Britney’s lack of agency over her own life fueled millions of followers to lend their support via protests and social media. In addition, participants in the movement offered public statements
44 • cmagazine.org
of support and applied pressure to the judi- for her elderly mother. She went to court, cial system to take a closer look at Spears’s and she was declared to be the conservator conservatorship. of her mother’s affairs,” Justice Kim said. “There are a bunch of different types “The court found that the mom could not of conservatorships, different jurisdictions take care of herself and make decisions for meaning different herself. I’ve talked governments hanto her about it, and dle [conservator- “It was fun and emotional I know she thought ships in] different that [a conservatorways,” Associate because we all felt like ship] was the best Justice to the Los Britney can finally live option.” Angeles CaliDespite the legal her life without someone rationale fornia Court of for conserAppeal, Dorothy controlling everything she vatorship, many fans Kim said. “There does.” have voiced their are voluntary concern for Britney, conservatorships like Paly graduate and involuntary Shannon Scheel. “I conservatorships. think when people In Britney’s case, become famous at her conservatorship was voluntary.” This such a young age, there’s such a discrepanmeans that Spears initially agreed to be cy between how their lives change and how conserved. much control they have over them,” Scheel Conservatorships can sometimes be said. “Mental health 25 years ago was not beneficial, such as in cases of elderly or in the forefront in the same way as it is tosick people who may have difficulty making day, especially with women.” their own decisions. “Conservatorships are usually reserved “A friend of mine did a conservatorship for people who are unable to take care of
Isabelle Jacobi, 11
