On February 5 the New York Times released a new episode of their “The New York Times Presents” documentary series featuring the rise and fall of Britney Spears.
The episode “Framing Britney Spears” took viewers on a journey through Spears’ life and her climb to fame, as well as the events that led to her conservatorship and legal battles. This timely film was released in the midst of her ongoing legal battles with her father, James Spears, over who will be the one who controls her conservatorship.
Spears’ situation has been broadcast across many different social platforms prior to the documentary’s release and fans have been promoting the tag #FreeBritney in order to advocate for her freedom.
This article will not summarize the documentary itself, rather it will highlight some key elements of Spears’ story, how it devolved so quickly, and why it’s relevant to all womxn.
What is a Conservatorship?
A conservatorship is a legal concept in which the conservatee is appointed a guardian by a judge to essentially control the financial and health-related matters of the conservatee. The conservatee no longer has control of significant aspects of their own life. This is normally something that happens when someone is really old and/or physically and mentally incapable of making their own decisions.
After a series of events leading up to 2008, Britney Spears has been under a conservatorship by James Spears.
How did this happen?
Britney Spears has been scrutinized by the media for decades. Whether it was the hypersexualization of her content at a young age, or the way in which Justin Timberlake accused her of cheating on him and ruining America’s favorite couple; Spears has consistently drawn the ire of people in her life, as well as those unfamiliar with the intricacies of her personal experiences.
Spears’ image took a fatal blow when she was filmed shaving her head and fighting with paparazzi, after publicly stating that she couldn’t handle being photographed and watched at all times anymore. A more notable event was when Spears yelled at and used an umbrella to beat the vehicle of Daniel Ramos, the celebrity videographer (more commonly known as paparazzi) who was trying to photograph her and ask her questions. This was considered to be one of Spears’ breaking points.
Spears was also in and out of rehab centers and committed to a psychiatric hospital twice. After this happened, Jamie Spears stepped up and requested a temporary conservatorship. This has not since been lifted.
She was framed as the villain of her romantic relationships, she fought with paparazzi and she struggled with mental health. Instead of making an effort to help Spears to manage her own estate and health, the court appointed control to a man who was not nearly as involved in her life as many other trusted adults, according to the documentary.
Why is this significant?
Throughout history, womxn have never fully had the power to make their own decisions. Up until the 1970s, womxn couldn’t apply for credit cards without their husbands. There are private hospitals that still require approval from a womxn and her spouse before performing certain medical procedures such as hysterectomies. Womxn have always had to fight for the right to make their own decisions, and to live separately from men. Spears is a public figure- the entire world watched her collapse under the control of her father and did absolutely nothing about it.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Photos: Her Campus Media