Like wildfire, the cryptic #FreeBritney hashtag spread over social media quickly, leaving many fans and users wondering exactly what is going on. Was she arrested? Is she dead? Luckily, neither of those options apply to the story that was released about pop sensation Britney Spears.
Back in 2008, Spears was placed under a conservatorship after being put on a 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. This hold was placed after Spears had suffered a public breakdown, causing the court to believe that she cannot be in control of her assets. The conservatorship was placed under her father’s name, as well as his attorney. However, just a month after being released from the psychiatric hold, she was back to work: releasing an album, filming a documentary, and even opening the MTV Music Awards. This led fans to believe that her father had been exploiting her, because at this point, she is no longer in control of any of her assets.
At the end of April, Spears had checked herself into a mental treatment facility for what she had dubbed “me time”, amid reports of being distressed over her father’s current health issues. In light of these reportedly serious health issues, he has stepped away from his conservatorship duties, passing them onto professional fiduciary care manager Jodi Montgomery. This news didn’t sit well with Spears’ fans, and many were determined to figure out what was really going on behind the scenes of this sudden situation.
In court documents filed on Sept. 2nd, Spears requested that the conservatorship case be opened up to the public, which goes completely against her father’s wishes. It seems as if it’s Britney against the world, because even her brother and the rest of her family support the conservatorship. “She’s been in this thing for quite some time now. Obviously, there was a need for it in the beginning,” her brother Bryan stated while on the As NOT Seen on TV podcast, “She’s always wanted to get out of it. It’s very frustrating to have,” Bryan stated. Britney’s lawyers are also reportedly “unhappy that the family is going public with comments about how she feels about it [the conservatorship] and how she wishes to be free.”
Britney has reportedly been in support of the #FreeBritney movement, giving thumbs up to the efforts by her fans to “free” her from her chains. Podcasts, endless twitter campaigns, and a Change.org petition have followed this grave news, in hopes to aid Britney in her fight for her rights.
On Aug. 19, Spears’ hearing was held in Stanley Mosk Courthouse in L.A., with fans holding a protest right outside. The ACLU stepped into the fight as well, stating that “People with disabilities have a right to lead self-directed lives and retain their civil rights. If Britney Spears wants to regain her civil liberties and get out of her conservatorship, we are here to help her.” With evident support at every front, it’s no secret that Britney Spears has loving fans who want to help her regain control of her life again.
