Britney's Free, Bitch.

[rogueslayer452]

Britney Spears conservatorship has officially ended! Both of her person and of her estate. I am so beyond happy with this news. I hope that she sues the fuck out of her family and anyone else associated with her conservatorship that were leeching off of her for years.

With that being said however, I hope that this doesn't stop people from caring about this issue because conservatorship abuse is still a massive problem. Britney's situation was unique because of her massive star power and how it gained a lot of attention quite quickly over the last year and some, but it has also shed light on the invisible abuse that still happens regardless, whether it be celebrities or just your average everyday person. It's horrible, and I hope that people don't forget about it just because Britney has finally been freed from those shackles.

Comments

[tabaqui]

It is excellent news, yes, and good on her.
The thought of some court-appointed person controlling every aspect of someone's life, and getting away with it because 'oh, their mental state!!'....

Gives you chills.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Because it's far more "romantic" to be the caregiver of someone with disabilities or mental health issues. Obviously I say this sarcastically, but sadly there does seem to be that mentality. :/

It's wrong.

[tabaqui]

THIS, yes. Omg.
I find that kind of thing really self-congratulatory and kind of creepy, like they're battening off someone's inability to do X and puffing themselves up for helping person do X and *not minding*. Or whatever.

Yuck.

Good luck to Ms Spears, I say, and I hope she enjoys the hell out of herself.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

That mentality is so disgusting and dehumanizing, and it's sad that it's so common. :/

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I've seen some people during this whole thing with Britney defend the conservatorship for that exact reason. Like, they'll claim that what she's going through is horrible but in the same breath claim that she needs the conservatorship because she's "mentally unwell" and if she goes off of it she'll make "bad decisions" or some other nonsense like that. As if being mentally ill or disabled in any way means that they are incapable of making decisions for themselves and gives permission to others to infantilize them and treat them like objects. And like, so what if she makes bad decisions? We all make bad decisions all the time, that doesn't mean we deserve to have our rights removed simply because we make mistakes or missteps. Britney hasn't really had a chance to live her life because people around her kept controlling every aspect of her life, and the moment she makes the smallest of mistakes people were hounding her left and right (she even said it herself, she was afraid of coming forward with all of this because she didn't think people would believe her, and that's just so sad).

It's both the lack of empathy and also the lack of educating oneself of what a conservatorship is supposed to be versus what people often abuse it for. And what Britney went through is unfortunately very common with conservatorships, and it's horrifying thinking about how easy it is to manipulate the system that already doesn't value mental health or people with disabilities in the first place.

[tabaqui]

YES, all of this.
How are the people who are running around, getting into debt, sleeping with multiple partners, losing their jobs, having kids and/or losing kids, divorcing, breaking up, etc. etc. any different? Should they all *also* have a conservatorship?

I think my cousin is doing a crappy job dealing with their life; let's have them declared unfit so i can tell them what to do!!

People wouldn't even consider doing that with random citizens, but make it a woman who's making a lot of money and not 'behaving', and oh boy (or man, for that matter, but a woman or someone who 'different' is more often than the target than a man)....

I really hope she keeps bringing this out in public and more people get to be aware of the abuses this system supports.

[valeria-sg-1.livejournal.com]

That's great news and I hope it will bring more attention to conservatorship abuse.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I know that I wasn't aware of what a conservatorship was until all of this was happening, I mean I knew she was under it but I didn't really understand what it all entailed until the horrors of what she was putting up with was being revealed. So it's definitely gotten a bit more exposure of people, myself included, being educated on the subject and bringing more awareness to the issues that arise.

[valeria-sg-1.livejournal.com]

I had an indirect experience when my aunt was trying to sell her house and one potential buyer had to step back because their legal tutor would not sign off on the purchase.

[itsnotmymind.livejournal.com]

Word

[sictransits.livejournal.com]

I was so happy!! I agree, I hope she sues everyone responsible for the conservatorship, especially her family.

I agree- I hope this has brought attention to the fact that this is happening to other (non-famous) people. I think it will end up bringing change, at least I hope so.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Her family are absolute leeches (her immediate family, at least, idk about the rest of her relatives but her parents and sister especially have been horrible during this time). I hope she sues them, wins, and then goes off and lives her life peacefully away from them.

I'm hoping it'll bring a change. Of course, I know that it's not that simple, since there's a lot of complicated and complex aspects of the laws surrounding it. I know people were saying that it's near impossible to get out of a conservatorship, and they were worried that regardless Britney would be denied her freedom even if she made good points and presented herself clearly, so she got incredibly lucky with her new lawyer representing her. Not many people get such an opportunity though, and I'm hoping that this opens the eyes of people who were watching this going down that this is a bigger issue than most realize. Even Britney stated this during her chilling testimony not too long ago, she was just one of many who are being abused by being unfairly kept in a conservatorship and even more unfair is trying to challenge it when the system is always going to be against them.