Britney Spears

[pallisers]

I know it is a story of more US interest (all over NPR and NYT today) but I am really shocked - but not surprised - by the Britney Spears legal action and wonder what others think.

I remember many years ago thinking she was experiencing post-natal depression or whatever as much of her mental health issues arose after the births of her children (very close together if I remember correctly). But since then she has been in a conservetorship - basically her father ran her finances/life/choices etc for the past 13 years. Meanwhile she was capable of earning millions of dollars as a performer in Vegas but not apparently capable of making her own life decisions? It is like looking at a picture drawn by a child of "Patriarchy". Did Robert Downey Jr spend 13 years with no control over his own money? Did any of the many male performers who struggled with addiction or mental health problems?

www.nytimes.com/live/2021/06/23/arts/britney-spears-conservatorship

[colouringindoors]

just been catching up on this. the conservatorship is, imho, abusive.

[Backofthenet20]

I was reading through what she must do. Typically these type of orders are to protect old people who can’t make decisions. Seems like it has been over used here & even if they are bad choices they are hers to make. They are making her keep in an IUD so she doesn’t get pregnant. That seems wrong. So much seems wrong. Clearly she has had mental health issues, but does she need someone to make all of her decisions?…. Let’s hope the court makes a good decision

[pallisers]

from a feminist point of view (which is why I posted here) it really strikes me how differently male performers/actors with mental health issues have been treated.

[yupyupyup]

It's so sad hearing Britney's own testimony. After all these years of being silenced .

She's been forced to take medication and have birth control fitted. It's beyond deplorable.

Let's hope things work out in Britney's favour and that those responsible are held to account. This is the backwards US justice system though... they haven't a clue.

I agree @pallisers, it would never happen to a man (MJ springs to mind, after dangling baby from balcony)

[Backofthenet20]

Her Dad is also paid $16000 per month plus $2k office expenses. It’s in his interest to keep been paid…

[FromEden]

Why has my post been hidden?

[Gingerkittykat]

I knew that she was controlled financially but not that they also had control of her medical decisions.

I wonder if refusing to allow her to have her IUD removed is because of medication for her alleged bipolar disorder. Sodium Valporate is a common mood stabiliser which causes severe birth defects.

Even if that is the reason she should be allowed to choose any medical treatment and have control over her own fertility.

[CrazyCatsAndKittens]

I don’t think we can say because we don’t know the extent of her mental illness. We’re the peanut gallery, not her doctor. I hope the courts will make the best decision for her.

[FlorenceWintle]

I think it may have been necessary at the height of her so-called breakdown but I can’t possibly imagine that she’s been so severely mentally ill that she’s not capable of making any decisions for THIRTEEN years. I’m no doctor but it seems unlikely.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

It sounds like modern day slavery. She clearly needed help after her boys were born but this can't be her forever.

[Siablue]

There has been a previous thread about her on feminism but yes it is clear that she is being controlled. She may have some degree of mental illness but this level of control is not appropriate.

Having been a victim of coercive control myself I understand how having no control over your own life actually makes you more unwell.

I really hope she can regain control but the system is very badly stacked against her and a lot of people are making a lot of money out of her which they are unlikely to give up voluntarily.

Have you watched the BBC documentary about her it really shows you how unfair the conseratorship system in the US is?

[StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind]

@FlorenceWintle

I think it may have been necessary at the height of her so-called breakdown but I can’t possibly imagine that she’s been so severely mentally ill that she’s not capable of making any decisions for THIRTEEN years. I’m no doctor but it seems unlikely.

If she were that unwell then she shouldn't have been performing and working. This smacks of control and her comparisons to sex trafficking seem completely valid.

Poor woman. I hope everything works out for her and she can live her life how she wants to.

[Horehound]

Looking at her Instagram she is unwell though. I do not agree with the strictness of her conservatorship but feel she needs some kind of help.
And if she really is so unwell that she has to have all her decisions made for her, then she bloody well shouldn't have been made to work!!
That is outrageous really.
She's a prisoner of her own fortune.

[NashvilleQueen]

I find it absolutely astonishing. Those old enough to remember her as a young woman will know her behaviour was reported as erratic at the time and I guess there was a lot more that was never reported here. However it was no more excessive than any of those child stars (Bieber, Miley Cyrus etc) and to find that she's endured 13 years of this daily control is horrific.

My 14 y/o daughter is a huge Britney fan and so I've taken more of an interest in the past year than I had for the past decade. And it's just so sad.

My fear is that the judge will say she's still vulnerable and therefore the conservatorship must remain but I really hope not.

[Cailleach1]

Her father isn't a doctor either. Does he have the final say?

[Whinge]

I think it's disgusting that this has been able to happen for so long. Surely someone should have stepped in to question the level of control years ago. I really hope she's able to break away.

[Whinge]

My fear is that the judge will say she's still vulnerable and therefore the conservatorship must remain but I really hope not.

I also worry that this will be the outcome, it's horrific.

[ZoomOnToast]

It is disgusting. Forcing her to wear birth control is truly shocking.

[StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind]

Looking at her Instagram she is unwell though.

But who actually has control of her instragram? I imagine it isn't Britney.

[AdelindSchade]

It's hardly that unusual for people to be compelled to take medication for mh issues if there is thought to be a ery significant risk to them if they don't.

I would not be able to make a judgement about any of this without knowing all the information. Poor Britney, I hope the court does right by her whatever that may entail.

[giletrouge]

My take on this is that here is an adult woman effectively kept a prisoner, legally and psychologically, in plain sight, by her father, and nothing has been done from the outside to really help and acknowledge her. It's really shocking. And somehow the story that she's incompetent to look after herself has been bought by most of the world. Because, you know, batty woman, caring father.
It's misogyny again. IN PLAIN SIGHT.

[Horehound]

Why does it matter who is on control? You can still see she is unwell @StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind

[AdelindSchade]

I do agree that women are likely to be viewed as more vulnerable, especially around sexuality/fertility.

[Whinge]

@Horehound

Why does it matter who is on control? You can still see she is unwell *@StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind*

Because things can be edited to make them look worse than they are, and because you only see a one sided view.