The #FreeBritney movement began in 2019 when fans of the pop singer, Britney Spears, tried to raise awareness of her conservatorship abuse and the court allowing it to occur.

James Spears, Britney’s father, was made her conservator in 2008 following public struggles with her mental health and substance abuse. This conservatorship has given her father control over the performer’s finances, decisions, and overall life.

Since the conservatorship began, Britney Spears has produced four chart-topping albums and has participated in a residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Fans believe that someone who can successfully make music and tour should be stable enough to be in charge of her own finances and life. Her father has had a rocky past, consisting of family deaths, alcoholism, and claims of abuse. Many wonder why he was placed in charge of Spear’s fame and fortune in the first place.

Britney has silently battled against the 13-year conservatorship and never spoke up about it in public. However, leaked audio from her court hearing shows the star asking for her freedom back, “I just want my life back. It’s been 13 years and it’s enough… It’s my wish and my dream for all of this to end.”

The singer also stated, “After I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m okay and I’m happy. It’s a lie… I’m not happy, I can’t sleep, I’m so angry it’s insane and I’m depressed. I cry every day.”

Though fans have speculated for years, the court audio confirms the years of abuse that she has been through her conservatorship. She speaks up about rigorious rehearsal schedules, performances against her will (including having to preform with a 104 degree fever), and being forced into the hospital without consent.

In September of 2020, Britney’s lawyer, Mr. Ingham, stated she “is vehemently opposed to this effort by her father to keep her legal struggle hidden away in the closet as a family secret.” Complaints against how the singer’s father handles her money have been made, saying that he spends an excessive amount of the star’s money. James Spears hired the lawyers that are fighting to keep the conservatorship with Britney’s hard-earned money. The court made a wealth management firm co-conservator with her father in an attempt to “fix” it.

In a public hearing in November 2020, Lynne Spears, Britney’s mother, supported the removal of her father as a conservator. Through a lawyer, she called the father-daughter relationship “toxic” and said it was “time to start fresh,” adding that James Spears had referred to his daughter as “a racehorse who has to be handled like one.”

In the revealed court hearing audio, Britney mentions the consequences after saying no to a second Las Vegas residency in 2019:

“I remember telling my assistant, “But you know what, I feel weird if I say no. I feel like they’re going to come back and be mean to me or punish me or something.” Three days later, after I said no to Vegas, my therapist sat me down in a room and said he had a million phone calls about how I was not cooperating in rehearsals and I haven’t been taking my medication. All of this was a false. He — he immediately the next day put me on lithium out of nowhere. He took me off my normal meds I’d been on for five years. And lithium is a very, very strong and completely different medication compared to what I was used to. You can go mentally impaired if you take too much, if you stay on it longer than five months. But he put me on that and I felt drunk. I really couldn’t even take up for myself. I couldn’t even have a conversation with my mom or dad really about anything. I told them I was scared….”

In addition, Spears revealed that she didn’t know she could petition to have the conservatorship ended. She believes she shouldn’t have to be evaluated again, because she has proved her “capacity of intelligence” over the years of obedience.

Spears says the reason that she hasn’t come out with this to the public is that “It’s embarrassing and demoralizing what I’ve been through. And that’s the main reason I’ve never said it openly. And mainly I didn’t want to say it openly because I honestly don’t think anyone would believe me.”

Britney also believes that the government is wrong for allowing this treatment, “What state allows people to own another person’s money and account and threaten them and saying, “You can’t spend your money unless you do what we want you to do.” And I’m paying them.” Her own money has been used against her for years.

Overall, she asks for a few things; she wants the conservatorship to end without any evaluation. Second, she wants to see a therapist only once a week and from the comfort of her home. Next, she wants the freedom to spend her money the way she wants. Lastly, she wants the option to get married and have a baby if she wishes.

We will see what happens next. What do you think about the conservatorship? Leave a comment below.