(Subject title changed on 8-12 to reflect current case status)

Songbird Britney Spears, :-* who has been subject to a conservatorship for the past 13 years since a psychiatric breakdown back in the 2000s, finally got her chance to testify in open court regarding the conservatorship arrangement.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/britney-spears-speaks-conservatorship-hearing

Amongst other things she apparently at one point had an IED implanted and wants it to be taken out so she can have more kids.

It’s hard to tell how the proceeding is going, because from the transcripts you really can’t judge her “state of mind” in court.

I can’t get the back story to this because one of Brit’s close relatives no longer works at my company. But heck, he never spilled anything to us even when he did work here.  :P

Yay I'm so glad there's a thread for this!

I have no idea how I am feeling after listening to the leaked 30min audio. I'm devastated for The Legendary Miss Britney Spears. I'm angry for her. And I'm so sad to learn that this conservatorship is WORSE than what many of us had been suspecting (forced to take lithium; unable to take out her IUD; super punitive management and family). This is probably the most honest Britney has been -- in public -- in a very long time, and way overdue!

I do believe this is a critical pop culture moment. I also wouldn't be surprised if this leads to updated conservatorship laws here in California.

Disabled rights will be the next big social justice movement

Jamie Spears is an abusive piece of scum. From what I’ve heard, he was always trying to control her even before that conservatorship. And I believe he and former managers, etc. are part of the reason she had her break down in the first place. This thing started before 2008. Yes artists work a lot but she rarely rarely has gotten days off! And it’s bad enough he can control her money but her body? She is long overdue for freedom. #freebritney

Britney Spears isn't the only celebrity who had a breakdown. So I don't see how it is fair that she has no personal freedom when other celebrities who have done a lot worse things do. Something is very off.

Disabled rights will be the next big social justice movement


I believe the PC term is “differently abled” or “physically challenged”.

I can tell you this, Brit’s extended family has not been taking financial advantage of her. As an example, her sis Jamie Lynn (and Jamie Lynn’s husband Jamie) were living in a modest apartment on top of a Louisiana truck repair shop just 3-4 years ago.

Reason I know this is because I was there.

I believe the PC term is “differently abled” or “physically challenged”.


They've switched back to "disabled" now. It's better to destigmatize lacking a common ability than euphemize.

Reminder that this is only the first celebrity conservatorship controversy in the social media era. In the past, there was also Brian Wilson, Mickey Rooney and Casey Kasem.

The Australian ABC showed the clip of ten year old Britney being sexualised by the host of Star Search in 1992.

It is a very sad reality when a human being can be screwed over for years upon years due to their mental health from when their prefrontal cortex was not fully developed.

Johnny Carson once asked a child actress he was interviewing on Carson what kind of wedding did she want and what kind of man did she want to marry.

Oh, Johnny…

They've switched back to "disabled" now. It's better to destigmatize lacking a common ability than euphemize.


Does that mean that “retarded” is also coming back as a clinical term? ???

Does that mean that “retarded” is also coming back as a clinical term? ???


No. Though the modern term is "intellectual disability," which has the word "disability" in it. Euphemisms like "special" are taboo.

No. Though the modern term is "intellectual disability," which has the word "disability" in it. Euphemisms like "special" are taboo.


No more “special education programs” then? ???

How about the Special Olympics? ???

No more “special education programs” then? ???

How about the Special Olympics? ???


I'm not sure. You shouldn't call a person "special needs" though

I am no fan of Britney. But I side with her on this because, apart from it not being fair, I know how it feels to have controlling parents. They wouldn't even let me leave home and live independently. I was still living with my parents at the age of 45 because of this. It isn't a nice thing to say but the death of my mother finally liberated me.

No. Though the modern term is "intellectual disability," which has the word "disability" in it. Euphemisms like "special" are taboo.

Or "mentally challenged".

No more “special education programs” then? ???

How about the Special Olympics? ???


I'm just talking about referring to a person. AFAIK everything else is fine.

I am no fan of Britney. But I side with her on this because, apart from it not being fair, I know how it feels to have controlling parents. They wouldn't even let me leave home and live independently. I was still living with my parents at the age of 45 because of this. It isn't a nice thing to say but the death of my mother finally liberated me.



Seeing that grown arse male host ask ten year old Britney on Star Search whether she had a boyfriend reminded me that a ten year old little boy contestant would NOT have have been asked right there on national television if he had a girlfriend.

But I side with her on this because, apart from it not being fair, I know how it feels to have controlling parents. They wouldn't even let me leave home and live independently. I was still living with my parents at the age of 45 because of this. It isn't a nice thing to say but the death of my mother finally liberated me.


I concur. This was my grandmother, who raised me, to a T. I was literally her personal slave, spending approx. 75 percent of my waking day doing chores by the time I was 30. She dictated my clothes and my hair length. She was a Scorpio, so you know what that means. She was almost always in a foul mood, very contentious, violent mood swings. I was walking on eggshells every single day. She abused/mistreated me, Grandpa and my mom. She was a helicopter who called me constantly when she was out and about.

For nearly 14 years, she restricted how many leisure hours I could spend in my room. First 30 minutes, then an hour. Eventually three, though I deliberately cheated whenever I (felt like I) could get away with it. It may have been because I lashed out, but 14 years punishment for it?

Her death in 2018 from CHF may have been the best thing that ever happened to me. Even when I moved in with my aunt and family (which she herself orchestrated), she still couldn't let me go. She criticized my aunt and uncle for not "taking good enough care of " and said that if something happened to Grandpa before her, she'd move in with us.  >:( Over my dead body, you will. I lived with her for almost the entire first 31 1/2 years of my life. I felt like a heavy burden had been lifted.  A year later, her already crappy health got worse and she died. Another burden lifted.

Every once in a while I see news articles and How to Tell lists about abusive/controlling/toxic parents, and Grandma ticked most of the boxes on each one. But the abuse goes back at least two generations earlier.

So I've been there. I know what it's like. The end of this nightmare is long overdue and I hope it does end.


I am no fan of Britney.

Shame on you.  ;)