Britney Spears has been a hot topic in the media almost since her birth December 2, 1981. We need to bring attention to the recent development in the 39-year old’s battle against her own family and State of California. There are allegations of Britney being forced to take medication, work long hours up to seven days a week, and go to therapy up to 3 times a week against her will. Here is a timeline of Britney’s career and how her life is controlled by conservatorships of both her finances and person.
Timeline of Britney Spears Career
Britney Spears was 8 years old and went to New York to be on the Mickey Mouse Club. She was rejected at her audition for being too young. She spent the next three years at the professional performing arts school center. At 10 years old Britney won the first round of Star Search then lost the second round.
1993 – 1994
Britney joined the sixth season of Mickey Mouse Club when she was 11 years old. The next year Mickey Mouse Club was canceled so Britney Spears went home to Kentwood, Louisiana and attended Parklane Academy. Britney said in many interviews, this time of her life was “boring.” (After being on Mickey Mouse Club and living life as a “child star” for a moment, it makes sense why Britney would consider regular life a little boring.)
1998 – 1999
Britney Spears joined Jive records at 16. She flew to Sweden to record her first album “Baby One More Time.” When Britney returned home, she embarked on a mall tour around the USA. According to the people around her the shows went from a small crowd of people who gathered as she sang to huge crowds gathering to see her. This small tour is followed by her first real tour opening for ‘N sync. In 1999, “Baby One More Time” is released when Britney Spears is 17, it is number one on Billboard 200.
2000 – 2001
At 18 Britney Spears released “Oops… I Did It Again,” which sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and went on her next tour. She also performed at the VMAs and announced she was dating Justin Timberlake who she had known since Mickey Mouse Club. The next year Britney Spears performed “Slave for You” during the VMAs with a live snake and tiger which angered PETA. She also released the “Britney” album.
2002 – 2003
At 20 years old, Britney Spears topped the Forbes Celebrity 100. She also played in “Crossroads.” She Broke up with Justin Timberlake and gives Michael Jackson a birthday cake which he mistook for some type of award. In 2003 Madonna and Britney Spears kissed live at the VMAs; it was seen by many fans as “the queen of pop crowning the princess of pop.” Britney released “in the Zone” and became the first female artist to have four albums debut at number one. Britney received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2004 – 2005
Britney married Jason Alexander in Vegas, and the marriage was annulled 55 hours later. Britney suffered a knee injury during shooting for “outrageous.” She then became engaged to Kevin Federline and their relationship was public domain on the show, “Britney and Kevin: Chaotic.” The two got married that fall and Britney took a step back from her career to start a family. Britney Spears was 22 when she gave birth to Sean Preston September 14, 2005.
2006 -2007
Britney spears was seen driving with her son on her lap and says it was because her and her child feared the paparazzi banging on the sides of the car. Britney guest starred on “Will and Grace” and did a cover for Harpers Bazaar. Jayden James is born later in the year then Britney and Kevin filed for divorce on November 7, 2006. The next year Britney Spears went to a rehab facility in Antigua for less than a day. The next day she was in California, and she shaved her head. She was sent to many treatment facilities and lost custody of her kids in October. She released “Blackout” and performed at the VMAs.
2008 – 2009
After locking herself in a bathroom with her children, Britney Spears had her visitation rights suspended due to police involvement with the incident. She was put on involuntary psychiatric hold and released February 6, 2008. Britney guest starred on “How I Met Your Mother” and performed at the VMAs. She won best female video, best pop video, and video of the year for “Piece of Me” and released “Circus” in December. Temporary Conservatorship over Britney’s finances and person is granted to Jamie Spears, Britney’s father, then it was made permanent in October 2008 by L.A. superior commissioner Reva Goetz.Britney went on MTV, “Britney for the Record,” during this special Britney tells the world “It’s bad. I’m sad.” Guinness Book of World Records recognized Britney Spears the following year for five albums released at number one. Womanizer hit number one on hot 100 list and Britney went on the Circus tour.
2010 -2013
Britney Spears started dating manager Jason Trawick. Britney released “Femme Fatale,” but was dealing with multiple lawsuits, including a sexual harassment suit from her former bodyguard. Britney Spears became a judge on X-Factor in 2012. The following year she announced her and Trawick’s split as well as she would not return to X-Factor. Britney then announced she would do a two-year residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas called “Britney: Piece of Me” starting December 27.
2014
Britney Spearsreleased her lingerie line called “Intimate: Britney Spears.” Clark County, Nevada, proclaimed November 5th as “Britney Day” on the Las Vegas Strip. A court appointed attorney expressed concerns over Jamie Spears drinking, as it related to the Conservatorship. The judge did not remove Jamie in any fashion at that time.
2015 – 2018
Britney Spears announced that her residency at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas would last for two more years. Britney released “Glory,” in 2016. That same year she told a private investigator she was “tired of being taken advantage of.” She was speaking about the abusive conservatorship she was and is currently being held under. In 2018, Britney was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards with the Vanguard Award, an award that goes to a performer for making a difference in promoting and supporting equality.
2019
Britney Spears announced that she was going on work hiatus in order to focus on her family due to her father’s health issues. This comes around the same time she cancels her next Vegas residency, “Britney: Domination.” Britney announced that she would be taking “me time” after it was reported that she checked into a mental health facility to cope with her father’s health issues. Followers of the #FreeBritney movement had speculation she was sent to the facility against her will. In April 2019 Britney checked out of the mental health treatment facility after undertaking an “all-encompassing wellness treatment.” During a court session that May, Britney said she felt she was sent there for wanting to change dance moves in routines during practice. In August, Jamie Spears was served with a restraining order after a physical altercation with Britney’s 13-year-old son. In September, Jamie was replaced by Jodi Montgomery as conservator of Britney’s person, but Jamie would continue to reside over Britney’s finances.
2020
Britney Spears announced that she accidentally burned down her home gym; some of the #FreeBritney movement say it was on purpose because she was tired of being forced to maintain a perfect body image. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny declined Britney’s application to remove her father as her conservator of finances but said she would consider petitions “down the road” to remove her father as the head of her estate. This decision was made, despite Britney telling the judge she feared her father. The judge did order the Bessemer Firm of California be added to the financial conservatorship.
2021
Britney Spears appeared remotely in court to request her conservatorship be lifted, calling it “abusive.” During the hearing, which was leaked by an anonymous source, Britney spoke for more than 20 minutes. Britney says she felt she had been forced to perform, was given no privacy and was made to use birth control, take medication and attend therapy sessions against her will. Britney also requested her father be removed from the conservatorship. Judge Brenda Penny denied the request, which was first filed by Britney’s attorney Samuel D. Ingham last November. Ingham is expected to file a new petition, requesting that the conservatorship be ended. It is unclear why he is yet to do so.
Why Should the Conservatorship End?
California law says a conservatorship is justified for a “person who is unable to provide properly for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,” or for someone who is “substantially unable to manage his or her own financial resources or resist fraud or undue influence.” This is generally used for elderly people at the end of their lives to manage their medical needs and estates. A fortune of more than $60 million comes with a lot of people who want to “help” for the wrong reasons. If Britney can work seven days a week, in what way is she unfit to control her own life? The court closely guards the inner workings of Britney’s conservatorship but Some aspects have been revealed in documents.
What does the Conservatorship Do?
The conservatorship has the power to restrict Britney’s visitors. During the leaked court audio Britney says she is unable to see friends who only live 8 minutes away, most of which she met in AA. It arranges visits with her sons since Kevin Federline has full custody. It has the power to take out restraining orders in her name, which it has used more than once to keep away people deemed shady. Some of the #FreeBritney movement believe this power is abused in order to keep outsiders from helping Britney. It has the power to make her medical decisions and her business deals. She said at the recent hearing that she has been compelled to take drugs against her will, such as Lithium. She admitted to being “unable to make decisions or have conversations” while on the drug. Could this have been a way to manufacture the image of Britney being unable to make decisions for herself?
Britney has been kept from having an intrauterine device for birth control removed and has been required to do performances when she did not want to, which she compared to sex trafficking. “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a key role in punishing me… they should be in jail,” Britney said. Britney can get married, but the conservatorship must approve it, as with other major life decisions. Britney said that she wants to get married and have another child but has been denied that chance. The mandatory secrecy of medical records has kept the reasons why Britney Spears must remain in the conservatorship hidden, but it apparently involves psychiatric issues. A recent filing said that she was not capable of giving consent for medical treatment. Britney’s father and his attorneys have emphasized that she is especially susceptible to people who seek to take advantage of her money and fame. Britney made claims during the most recent hearing that leads us to believe that is exactly what the people around her are doing, under this mask of “we are helping Britney.”
The Most Recent Hearing
Britney Spears has stated through her lawyer, Samuel D. Ingram III, that she will not perform as long as her father remains a conservator of her $60 million estate. During the Hearing in June of 2021, Britney Spears said she was unaware she could petition the court to end the conservatorship, until now. “I deserve to have a life. I worked my whole life. I deserve to have a two- to three-year break and do what I need to do,” she said during the statement. “I feel ganged up, I felt left out and I feel alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anyone does by having a child and a family. Any of those things.” “I’m not here to be anyone’s slave,” Britney Spears said while appearing in Los Angeles court remotely via telephone. “I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy. It is a lie. I thought that maybe if I said it enough, I would maybe become happy because I have been in denial. I have been in shock. I am traumatized … I am so angry it is insane. And I’m depressed.” Britney went on to say, “the people who did this to me should not be able to get away and walk away easily,” she told the courtroom. “I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.”
What does Britney’s Father say?
Britney Spears’ father maintains he has not had conservatorship over his daughter’s person since 2019. He has released statements saying the claims Britney made must be investigated. However, there are claims of abuse from even before Jodi Montgomery took over as conservator. While Britney Spears was critical of both Montgomery and her father, she singled out her father for some major criticism. She accused him of loving his power over her. “I cried on the phone for an hour, and he loved every minute of it,” Britney said. “The control he had over someone as powerful as me, as he loved the control to hurt his own daughter 100,000%.” The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 14th. Many #FreeBritney fans are hoping Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end her conservatorship for good. There is a list of Celebrities and influencers a mile long who support Britney in her fight to end the abuse she endures day to day. That list includes people like Iggy Azalea, who recently spoke out despite being forced to sign and NDA in 2015. “During the time we worked together in 2015, I personally witnessed the same behavior Britney detailed in regard to her father last week and I just want to back her up & tell the world that: She is not exaggerating or lying.” Iggy says, Britney’s father controlled things like how many sodas Britney could drink and brought Iggy the NDA moments before the performance. James spears said if Iggy did not sign it, she would not be allowed perform on stage with Britney. During the hearing Britney Stood up for herself in the court and said, “It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to,” she said. “The conservatorship should end. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive.”
It seems Britney’s handlers have been misleading people about her mental health for years. There are many people in Hollywood who do crazier things then Britney ever did, you do not see the state of California giving their rights away. It is unclear why Britney should stay under conservatorship when she can articulate the reasons why she should not be under it. This conservatorship seems like a stripping of rights, and from the outside it looks like the state of California has failed Britney Spears, so far. We can only hope Britney’s lawyer will file the petition to end the conservatorship and the judge will finally see fit to #FreeBitney.
