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

[BarbarianMum]

The whole thing makes me uneasy. I see no reason why her father should be a conservator if she doesnt want him to be. As to whether a conservatorship is necessary at all I withhold judgement. Certainly I'm sure you cant get an accurate picture of her mental health from a few YouTube videos. I've known several deeply disturbed individuals who could come across as totally sane and credible for limited periods of time. I guess I hope that somewhere in the system there are neutral, impartial individuals who can feed reliable evidence into the decision making process. But it worries me that once you are in this system there seems to be no clear way back out.

[playinginashadow]

Resurrecting this thread as it is a feminism story big in the news today.

This wouldn't have happened to a man!

news.sky.com/story/britney-spears-father-jamie-suspended-as-conservator-of-her-estate-in-latest-court-hearing-12421509

Her lawyer is excellent. Finally!