Britney Spears' Conservatorship Officially Over

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For the first time since 2008, world-famous pop star Britney Spears can finally make her own medical, financial and personal decisions without her father's nose butting into every detail of her life. Jamie Spears' hold on the pop star's life finally ended. 

Signed under an abusive conservatorship system at the height of her career and motherhood - at the age of 26 - she had not had the right to execute personal decisions.

Superior Los Angeles Court Judge Brenda Penny announced, "As of today, the conservatorship of the person and estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated."

After the announcement of the decision, crowds cheered "Britney! Britney! Britney!", as fans also sang and danced to her song, "Stronger."

Spears, excited and relieved, tweeted about the commotion:

Good God I love my fans so much it’s crazy 🥺❤️ !!! I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day !!!! Best day ever … praise the Lord … can I get an Amen 🙏🏼☀️🙌🏼 ???? #FreedBritney

🎥: @AbbyShalawylo pic.twitter.com/yk1vO3H02L

— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) November 12, 2021

Mathhew Rosengart, Britney's attorney, expressed that Britney's conservatorship case shed light on the issue on a national level: The case "helped shine a light on conservatorships and guardianships from coast to coast, from California to New York. And that took a tremendous amount of insight, courage and grace."

Since 2008 until recent, Samuel Ingham had been Britney's conservatorship attorney. However, after Britney's criticism of his representation, Ingham stepped down and resigned. Judge Brenda Penny, who has been following up with the conservatorship case, allowed Spears to choose her own attorney, which was a step forward in reestablishing Britney's autonomy and rights earlier this year. 

A feminist issue

“They were always trying to make me feel like I’m crazy, which I’m not," Britney told Judge Penny, which projected a case of emotional abuse and gaslighting earlier this year. 

Britney spoke of wanting to marry and have a child with her boyfriend but lacked the freedom to remove the contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) as the conservatorship forces her to take birth control pills. In fact, her conservators would not take her to the doctor to remove the IUD in the first place. 

A human rights attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, remarks on the matter: "Since the 1980s, it is constitutionally illegal to force people to take medications, it's like this woman lives in a law-free existence where no constitutional rights are given to her." 

"It's cruel, it's sexist; men are not treated in this way. We've seen male celebrities attempt suicide or have serious addiction problems, alcohol problems that lead to domestic violence problems, allegations of child abuse and they are not treated like this, not in the media, and certainly not in the courts. It's shocking, it's sad, it's scary and we should all be concerned," stresses Smith, who specializes in women and minority rights. 

Britney's case is one of many realities for women experiencing systemic discrimination and sexism in the US and around the world.