August 2022 Nonconformist of the Month – Britney Spears
The name Britney Spears has been heard around the world for nearly two decades. From her start in show business in the early 1990’s she had to create her own identity in order to stand out from other up-and-coming teen and preteen celebrities. With tough competition amongst them and constant changes in the music business, there had to be ways for her to differentiate herself. By developing a unique vocal style and a danceable sound, she gained attention in the late 1990’s and secured a spot as the opening act for a popular boy band at the time. From there her popularity took off and she became a household name.
The world watched as she sang and danced her way to super-stardom and great wealth while she was still a teenager. She received criticism for lip-syncing during her shows and was also involved in a scandal when she married a friend in Las Vegas and later annulled the marriage only 55 hours later. She also received a lot of praise and her record sales were setting records as well. Britney enjoyed the publicity and even put her personal life in the spotlight with a reality show featuring her new romance partner, Kevin Federline. They were later married and proceeded to have two boys who are now teenagers.
After the birth of her second son and her separation from her husband, the world watched as her behavior turned bizarre. She shaved her head, attacked a paparazzi with an umbrella, and briefly checked into a rehab facility. After this she lost custody of her children and was allegedly diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. This led to a conservatorship being created by the courts, which was in place for more than thirteen years.
In 2021, Britney petitioned the court for the permission to hire her own attorney, something that those managing the conservatorship had prevented her from doing. She was granted this request and in the process of regaining some of her power, she gave a detailed account of the extreme control she had been subjected to under the conservatorship. She claimed among other things that she has not allowed to leave the house and that people were hired to watch her so closely that some of them even watched her shower and dress. This led to a series of hearings and the removal of Britney’s father as the conservator. Soon after, the conservatorship was dissolved and Britney regained control of her life and her assets.
Once she regained her freedom, she began posting on social media again, which she had not been allowed to do for a long time. She has also gotten married to her long-time boyfriend and plans to have more children. Britney recently collaborated with Elton John and their song immediately became the #1 streamed song in more than twelve countries. She has stated her intention to return to the studio to make new music.
She has made her share of mistakes and has made them very publicly. Some of her recent social media posts have been scrutinized as well. Some may question the long-term stability of her mental health now that she has regained control of her life. Time will tell regarding that. She is human and has struggles like the rest of us. She deserves a chance to prove herself and to enjoy being her own person again. I commend her for having the strength and courage to stand up for herself and to face the courts as well as the public. We could all learn a few lessons from Britney about self-advocacy.