Source: Sky News
The #FreeBritney movement is once again trending and making a buzz this week, following the pop royalty’s statement against her conservatorship. Fellow pop stars and music icons shared their sentiments about the issue and messages of support for the artist.
In 2019, the fan-led online social movement #FreeBritney gained traction after Britney Spears suddenly canceled her Las Vegas residency, citing the decline in her father’s health as the reason. Since then, avid fans and supporters were on high alert and noticed several other signs that the singer wanted to break free from her conservatorship. However, throughout the noise on social media, Britney has remained mum on the issue.
Then, everything changed on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, when the pop icon finally testified in open court, condemning her father’s conservatorship over her and describing it as “abusive.” Dropping one bold testimony after the other, Britney even went on to say that her family should go to jail. Her statement was loud and clear: she wants the conservatorship to be terminated, to gain back her liberty, and ultimately, to make decisions for herself.
Britney has also broken her silence on social media and posted a photo on her Instagram account. In the caption, she shared that pride and embarrassment were why she remained silent for a long time.
It can be recalled that the musician was placed under conservatorship in 2008 after being involved in a series of concerning incidents, which made people question her mental stability, including shaving her head and driving with a baby in her lap. The court-approved guardianship appointed her father, Jamie Spears, to handle all aspects of the then young artist’s life, even financial decisions. What started as a temporary arrangement became permanent and has been in effect for over 13 years.
The explosive and emotional revelation quickly became the talk of the town. It generated a swarm of reactions from the public as well as celebrities. People were quick to post their thoughts, which are primarily messages of solidarity for the pop icon.
Justin Timberlake, Britney’s former boyfriend, wrote in a series of tweets, “After what we saw today, we should all be supporting Britney at this time. Regardless of our past, good and bad, and no matter how long ago it was, what’s happening to her is just not right. No woman should ever be restricted from making decisions about her own body. No one should EVER be held against their will or ever have to ask permission to access everything they’ve worked so hard for.” Meanwhile, music legend Mariah Carey tweeted, “We love you, Britney!!! Stay strong.”
This is not the first time people have commented about the issue. At the start of this year, a documentary directed by Samantha Stark called Framing Britney Spears was released, which talks about the singer’s career, rise to stardom, and her long-standing conservatorship.
Since then, several personalities from the music and entertainment industry tweeted their messages of love and encouragement, including Hayley Williams, Bette Midler, Kacey Musgraves, and many others.
It goes without saying that this legal battle for her autonomy still has a long way to go, but it helps to know that there is a community of supportive individuals who believe in the pop star and are rooting for her to win.
References: https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/stars-support-free-britney-movement-4324249/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-17/britney-spears-conservatorship-free-britney
