By Daliah Akar | Staff Writer
A look back at the last 13 years…
It’s official, #FreeBritney has been replaced with #FreedBritney! That’s right, pop star Britney Spears has had quite the eventful week with the news that her 13-year conservatorship has finally come to an end.
In case you didn’t know, a conservatorship is the legal appointment of a guardian for those deemed unfit to make decisions for themselves. In Spears’ case, following a very public battle with mental health, her father Jamie, petitioned for a temporary turned permanent conservatorship placement in 2008, giving him the power to control and make decisions on her behalf, both financially and personally. Now that Britney is finally free, let’s take a look back at the last decade or so and see how far she’s come.
2007 – The Meltdown:
The first exposure to Britney’s mental health struggles that went viral was probably the image of her post-head shave and attacking an SUV back in 2007. This image stirred up so many tabloid stories, questioning her mental health and ability as a mother.
Little did we know, she had actually lost custody of her children following the divorce from her ex-husband, and from that public breakdown came thirteen years of not having control over her life.
2008 – Temporary to Indefinitely
While Britney was admitted to hospitals and rehabilitation centers, her father Jamie filed for temporary control over his daughter’s estate, making decisions regarding her career, finances, and personal life. A year later, the motion was extended indefinitely.
2009 – Fans Raise Red Flags
After news broke that the conservatorship had been extended (and filed for extensions yearly), many fans started to question if it was necessary, and thus the #FreeBritney movement was born!
2013 – Vegas Baby!
Another Britney Spears association is Las Vegas, the city where she did almost 250 concerts of her long-running Las Vegas show Britney: Piece of Me. During her time in Vegas, Spears revealed that the key to her Vegas success fever was “all work and zero play”. Spears was coming out with single after single, releasing another successful album, and starting a four-year concert residency. On the outside everything was seemingly perfect.
2019 – The Smoke Clears
In 2019, the pop-star announced she was taking a break from work. Around the same time, her father temporarily stepped down from her conservatorship, claiming health issues, but there was also speculation that he was abusive and that Britney was fearful of him, instigating more speculation over the necessity of the conservatorship.
2021 – Down with the Conservatorship!
For the first time in a while, it started to feel like there was some headline about Britney or her conservatorship every couple of weeks. This was especially true after the premiere of NY Times’, “Framing Britney Spears”, which brought (much needed!) global attention to her situation.
She gained more traction following her 24-minute live testimony this past summer, where she described her inability to do anything without her father’s approval. She wasn’t allowed to marry her current boyfriend, spend her own money, or even remove her IUD!! In her testimony she stated “I deserve to have a life. I’ve worked my whole life. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody.”
Today – SHE’S FREE
While the conservatorship may have been valid in the beginning, Spears has proven herself more than capable of sorting her own affairs and taking back control of her life. Fast forward to today, Britney now has the rights she deserves!