Joyce Vance: Britney Spears' IUD testimony was disturbing --and connects to a larger societal pattern

[demmiblue]

Conservatorships are used for people who can’t handle their own affairs — financial or otherwise. They’re used for people with dementia at the end of their lives or for people with long-term cognitive impairment. But in Britney Spears’ case, a conservatorship that was originally put in place as a “temporary” emergency measure in 2008, is now going on its 13th year. Spears wants out. And after searing testimony in court Wednesday, it seems like much of the world has rallied to the star's side.

After searing testimony in court on Wednesday, it seems like much of the world has rallied to the star's side.

This surge in support may be rooted in a much deeper frustration — and fear. Indeed, it feels almost impossible to read her statement and not connect it to a larger societal pattern in which concocted mental health claims have been used, including in proceedings that carry the imprimatur of the courts, to sideline inconvenient women.

While under the conservatorship, Spears has worked successfully and earned enormous sums of money, but control of her earnings is in the hands of her father and a co-conservator, Bessemer Trust. They dole out an allowance. Her relationship with her two children is monitored. The conservators must agree to any business deals Spears wants to do and she says she cannot get married without their approval. From this, you might think Spears is closer to the adorable 12-year-old on the Mickey Mouse Club than the 39-year-old mother of two whose work and career are so influential that she has 30.4 million followers on Instagram.

The full details of the situation aren’t public. They’ve been sealed by the court, although apparently not at Spears’ request, as she told the judge she wanted a public forum. Perhaps in those details there is a legal justification for her ongoing conservatorship, but in leaked audio from Wednesday’s hearing, she sounded competent and reasonable as she explained her side of the story. And it was a pretty disturbing story.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/britney-spears-iud-testimony-was-disturbing-connects-larger-societal-pattern-n1272260

[Dawson Leery]

1. The Spears are from rural Louisiana.

Daddies around those areas like to control girls. The conservatorship must end.

[Phoenix61]

2. Her dad is making $16,000 a month off of her.

I’m sure he doesn’t want the gravy train to end but it needs to. If she can work that hard she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

[Midnight Writer]

3. She works incredibly hard. If she can do her grueling job day after day, she is competent.

I once saw a program on MTV following her around for a single day on tour.

She is up before dawn, exercising to stay in shape. She then spent a couple of hours doing remote radio and TV interviews to catch the morning media and promote her show. Then she went to dance lessons with a choreographer. She went to the venue for sound check and rehearsals. She made a series of live appearances at local malls and shopping areas to meet fans and promote the show. Back to the venue for last minute adjustments and fine tuning for her performance. More exercise with her trainer. Hair, makeup, and costume adjustments. Then to the show. 2+ hours of dancing, singing and rapid costume changes, all coordinated with a crew of dozens of dancers and stage managers. Back to her hotel in the wee hours of the morning. She will get on a jet to travel to the next venue early in the morning, to start the whole process over again.

If she can do that, she should have control of her money she earns from all that work.

[PatSeg]

4. This sounds like something out of the 19th century

when women were controlled by their fathers or husbands, often even locked away in mental institutions. Meanwhile, it is possible that people involved, particularly her father, are benefiting financially from this arrangement. This is extremely disturbing.

[lagomorph777]

5. Never was a fan of her music, and felt bad when she had a meltdown.

But this is ridiculous. Let that woman free.