#FreeBritney,
the movement that changed a life
Britney Spears, known worldwide for her pop-singer career, has endured a 13 year conservatorship, from 2008 to 2021.
At first people were not really aware of Britney Spears being under a conservatorship, and even less were the people knowing what a conservatorship was and implied. If something wrong was happening to one of the biggest pop stars in the world, you would also think that everyone would know about it… Right?
Unfortunately this wasn’t the case with Britney Jean Spears. While there were some glimpses here and there, like Cara Cunningham (at the time, Chris Crocker) asking people to “leave Britney alone”, or even Sam Lufti (part of Spears’ inner circle in 2007) trying to bring some light to the cause...
...Nothing sticked. Ten years had to pass before people started noticing, being aware and united to fight for her freedom.
In those years the pop star just continued to work as usual, she starred in multiple tv shows, movies, had a Las Vegas Residency and did multiple world tours.
Conservatorships, however, as Spears herself explained in her bestseller The Woman in Me are: “Usually reserved for people with no mental capacity, people who can’t do anything for themselves.”
People started noticing that something wasn’t right. Court documents started going around on Twitter, either through screenshots or google drives, and there was also a podcast at the time called Britney’s Gram. What was at first a lighthearted podcast discussing Britney Spears’ instagram posts became “a true-crime in real-time investigation” on the conservatorship.
On April 16, 2019 everything changed when Britney’s Gram hosts Tess Barker and Barbara Gray upload an emergency episode, titled “#FREEBRITNEY”.
The two hosts have received and released a voicemail from an undisclosed (but verified) paralegal who worked on Britney’s conservatorship. The paralegal shared with them, and the world, that Britney was held in a facility against her will and that that the conservatorship was far worse than people thought.
Fans had and wanted to get involved. While no one was paying attention the Princess of Pop was in fighting to get her freedom back: no one stepped in for more than 10 years. Seemingly there was no way out... At least, until the fans got involved.
At the time, it felt like it was on the fans to really be Britney's voice, because she was being silenced, and to let the general public know about what was happening. Because without that pressure on the courts, it seemed like, nothing was really going to happen.
Kevin Wu, co-founder of Free Britney LA
You can watch the full interview with Kevin Wu on his personal experience on the #FreeBritney Movement, from its early days to #JusticeforBritney:
The #FreeBritney movement, in that sense, was really special, people from all over the US and the world gathered online and in person to be the singer’s voice and try to help out.
A lot of people got involved, even lawyers! Educating on what a conservatorship was, on the law behind it, explaining court documents and advocating for conservatorship abuse... Not only for Britney, for everyone in those circumstances.
Jakey Once, youtuber and #FreeBritney activist, used his platform to make a 7-video-series on Britney's conservatorship. He says that at first people “were calling it a conspiracy theory.”
Listen to the full interview with Jakey Once: on his personal experience on the #FreeBritney Movement, and his 7-part-series.
But, they weren't conspiracies.
Free Britney LA, organised rallies in person, outside the courtroom: people would chant for Britney’s freedom and educate on conservatorship and conservatorship abuse.
During court dates, selected people would be sent in the courtroom to gather live information on the proceedings, information that would later on tweeted, posted on Instagram.
The in person rallies, as well as an active campaign online, brought a lot of attention to the conservatorship, conservatorship abuse. Even documentaries were made to uncover to dig on everything that was going on, interviewing people that worked with her or with her family during all those years.
But at the end everything worked out.
Finally on November 12, 2021 finally Britney Jean Spears' conservatorship ended, #FreedBritney was achieved. Britney even thanked her fans on her book.
The case had brought awareness to conservatorship cases (a #FreeAmandaBynes started for the former Hollywood actress), it taught people how to put differences aside to work for a bigger cause and was able to trascend the online aspect of the movement as well as people labeling it as drama.
It wasn't just online and it definitely wasn't some lighthearted drama, it was an actual courtcase facing media attention because of a celebrity being involved. But not any celebrity: Britney Spears.
Britney is just a special person. I think she touched so many lives, that everyone just wanted to, you know, join in and help out.
She helped me be myself, just by being herself. And so I wanted to support her and do what I could do to help. And I think a lot of people felt that way, you know, across the world.
Kevin Wu, co-founder of Free Britney LA
Read the rest of the series
