"Are you OK?" is a phrase many of us have likely heard in the last few months. Now more than ever, mental health checks are important. And those same courtesies should be given toward Britney Spears, who's been worrying her fans for years.
Ever since Britney's public meltdown in 2007, her assets were put under the conservatorship of her father, Jamie. For two years, Britney more or less stayed in her home, avoiding the paparazzi. Eventually, things seemed to get better. But it's more than 10 years later, and Britney is still under these strict conditions. In that time, she even had her own show in Vegas.
Fans often feel as if the star is trying to reach out to them to say she's in danger. While her family has denied it, the "Free Britney" movement only gains more traction. And even more, in the years that passed, mental health is becoming more of a publicized issue. Britney Spears isn't the only celebrity who has suffered from a big breakdown. Stars like Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez have also opened up about their individual struggles. However, Britney is the one who still doesn't have legal control over her life.
Another icon is showing her support for the star. Cher opened up and said that she thinks someone other than Britney's family members should do a wellness check on the pop icon.
Currently, the most recent court decision extended Britney's harsh conservatorship. But the good news is that it's not for very long. As of now, Britney's assets are still under her parents' control until February 2021. Her sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, has also offered to get involved.
In July, Jamie Lynn reportedly posted a social media message that very well could have been related to Britney and their family's situation. "If you deal with mental illness or care for someone dealing with mental illness, then you know how important it is to respect the situation with privacy for the person, and the family trying to protect their loved ones, no matter how it may appear to the public, and as the public we must learn to do the same," she wrote, per Insider.
Fans quickly piled on, suspecting she was talking about Britney. Jamie Lynn reportedly responded with, "you have no right to assume anything about my sister, and I have NO right to speak about HER health and personal matters. She is a strong, badass, unstoppable woman, and that's the only thing that is OBVIOUS."
While the sisterly support is nice, it doesn't change the fact that Britney fans are still worried. Especially since these days, people can reexamine her notorious breakdown and know exactly what happened. Britney had been working hard since she was a child. As a young teen, she posed provocatively on magazine covers, likely because her management felt as if it'd be more shocking. She married young — twice — and was in the midst of a very public divorce.
Britney first made headlines by marrying friend Jason Alexander in Las Vegas. The two were legally wed for 55 hours back in 2004. Supposedly, it was annulled because Britney's team felt as if she "lacked understanding of her actions, to the extent that she was incapable of agreeing to the marriage," per ABC News. The claim was one that Jason didn't believe. While the marriage happened quickly, Jason had known Britney for a long time.
Then Kevin Federline came along. Britney also wed Kevin in 2004, after just three months of dating. They got divorced in 2006 after having two children together. Having kids is enough of a big change for Britney — but getting divorced and being on the cover of every headline is something most separated couples don't have to deal with. In 2007, she famously shaved her head.
Instead of support, tabloids vowed to try to bring her down. She went from being one of America's top talents to being seen as a joke. And at the time, she was still very young. At the very least, Britney's life has seemed to be much less chaotic these days. She's in a healthy relationship, and she often posts on her Instagram stories as a way to connect with her fan base. But shouldn't she have more control over her life by now? That's what many fans are asking.
If there's anyone who understands the spotlight, it's Cher. And these days, even Cher has something to say about Britney's situation. After news came out of Jamie Lynn having control of Britney's financial trust, Cher made sure to make her feelings public. In her tweet, she commended Britney for working hard, calling her the "Golden Goose."
Fans happened to agree, even stating all of the hard work Britney has done since everything happened. "If she can work day in and day out, she can control her own affairs," one fan tweeted back. While nobody is fully aware of the actual struggles Britney faces today, the world has become much kinder since. The brain works in odd ways, and Britney has constantly been overwhelmed since her first song became such a hit.
This hasn't been the first time that Cher has commented on Britney's situation. Back in January, she also sent out a few tweets claiming it's ridiculous that she's still under such a strict conservatorship. Typically, per Business Insider, conservatorships are common with people who have mental disabilities and dementia. Even if Britney is unwell, she's still well enough to have had a public career since 2018.
Under her conservatorship right now, Britney doesn't only have no control over the money she's making — she also can't make her own personal decisions. But those close to Britney keep trying to state that it's really not a big deal. "The conservatorship is not a jail," Britney's manager, Larry Rudolph, said to The Washington Post. "It helps Britney make business decisions and manage her life in ways she can't do on her own right now."
In May of 2019, Britney herself tried to end her conservatorship. But those supporting her stated that the idea was silly, and perhaps Britney didn't realize how sick she was. "Of course she wants it to end, because she's not of the right mental state to understand her issues," a source told CNN. "She has a mental illness and that doesn't mean she needs to be locked up. It puts her somewhere in the middle. She's working on it. It's a struggle on a daily basis."
And that's when you reach a gray area. Obviously, it would be nice to believe that everyone has Britney's best interests at heart. Sure, she's an international star — but she's also their daughter, and Jamie Lynn's big sister. But shouldn't people think about what Britney wants out of her own life? If she had retired years ago, it would be a different story — but Britney has been working hard and putting herself out there for years since the conservatorship was initially put in place.
It's also suspicious, as dad Jamie Spears has had documented cases of violence against Britney's children. Britney's two sons are now old enough to better understand the situation their mom is in. Kevin Federline reportedly filed a report against Jamie after he reportedly had an altercation with his grandson Sean. If he expresses violent outbursts that have been noted by authorities, it's hard to figure out what his actual relationship with Britney is like.
No matter what, Britney Spears has her entire fan base behind her. People will always have a strong investment in the talented singer, and her happiness is the only thing people care about right now. Hopefully, she knows that she can reach out to others and truly get a grasp on her situation moving forward.
