Britney Spears hasn't had full control of her life in 13 years.
Here's everything you need to know about the #FreeBritney movement in 5 minutes.
Here's everything you need to know about the #FreeBritney movement in 5 minutes.
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00:00This is a story about how Britney Spears fans started a movement to fight for her freedom.
00:17Free Britney movement.
00:18I'm a Sagittarius.
00:19I'm very keen on freedom.
00:21For as long as she's been in the spotlight, every part of her life has been under intense
00:25media scrutiny, with paparazzis following her every move.
00:29Britney, I love you!
00:30People talk about my private life.
00:31I know that, you know, as a celebrity, that's what goes along with what you do.
00:35I just need to stay out of your business.
00:36But on top of that, for over a decade, Britney Spears has had zero control in her life.
00:41And while she's rarely spoken about it publicly, her fans have become increasingly concerned
00:46for her well-being.
00:47We all know there's something going on with Britney.
00:49And they believe there are signs of distress hidden in her social media posts.
00:54But let's rewind.
00:56Fourteen years ago, in 2007, Britney infamously shaved her head, and the paparazzi were there
01:01to capture it.
01:03Rather than considering the state of her mental health, the media creates a frenzy around
01:08her, calling the incident a mental breakdown.
01:11Fans speculate that this could be an act of rebellion, or a result of postpartum depression.
01:17After all, Britney has given birth to two boys in less than two years.
01:20After the incident, the 27-year-old is committed to a mental health facility, against her will.
01:26She's classified GD, Greatly Disabled.
01:29Basically, she's deemed unfit to take care of herself.
01:32And her father, Jamie Spears, is granted temporary conservatorship.
01:37Under this legal arrangement, her father has total control over everything she does, who
01:41she sees, where she goes, and what she does with the hundreds of millions of dollars she
01:46earns every year.
01:47But what was supposed to be a temporary conservatorship ends up lasting over a decade.
01:52Even if she wanted to contest it, with her father controlling her finances, she legally
01:56can't hire a lawyer to defend herself.
01:59She can't even seek a medical evaluation to reverse the conservatorship, because her father
02:03has sole control over her health care.
02:05He even arranges for 24-hour security outside her home.
02:09For her fans, it's really starting to sound like she's a prisoner in her own home.
02:13Britney needs to know that she still has her fans.
02:16They aren't convinced that Jamie has her best interests at heart.
02:19Leave Britney alone!
02:21Britney Spears, hope you're doing okay.
02:26The only time Britney mentions her situation is in a 2008 MTV documentary promoting her
02:31circus tour.
02:32If I wasn't under the restraints that I'm under right now, you know, with all the lawyers
02:37and doctors and people analyzing me every day.
02:40This might be one of the only times she openly expresses her desire for independence.
02:44I feel so liberated and feel like myself.
02:48In 2009, a Britney Spears fan site starts a campaign called Free Britney to bring attention
02:54to the situation and to call for an end to the conservatorship.
02:57In the years that follow, she releases several albums, performs a four-year residency in
03:02Las Vegas, becomes a judge on The X Factor, and releases a very lucrative perfume line,
03:07making those in control of her life very, very rich.
03:10So many of her fans wondered, if she was deemed mentally fit to do all of that, why
03:14couldn't she make decisions for herself?
03:16The Free Britney movement takes a turn in January 2019 after she abruptly cancels her
03:21Las Vegas residency.
03:23Her fans become increasingly suspicious and they believe that maybe her father is behind
03:27it all.
03:28They're keeping her hostage and it's no good for anybody.
03:30Shortly after, a mysterious voicemail is released on a podcast from someone claiming to be a
03:35paralegal on the case and claiming that Britney has been confined in a mental health facility
03:40for months involuntarily.
03:43And it all snowballs from there.
03:45Twitter threads, TikTok videos, podcasts, Instagram accounts, all dedicated to the Free
03:50Britney movement.
03:51They begin analyzing everything she posts online, looking for clues.
03:55On Instagram, a user commented saying, if you need help, post a picture of some flowers.
04:00One hour after that comment was made, she posted a picture with flowers.
04:04Wait a minute.
04:05What is she pointing to right there?
04:08On her hat?
04:09I zoomed in and that literally says help.
04:13People are posting in the comments, they're saying wear yellow in your next video and
04:16blink twice if you need help.
04:18So she does both in the next video.
04:20The movement, which was once confined to a very small group of loyal fans, blows up.
04:25Even celebrities start publicly voicing their concern.
04:28Free Britney.
04:29I am wearing this shirt because we all love her.
04:32While many of these theories are unconfirmed, it is revealed that Britney had asked for
04:36her father to be removed as conservator, but the judge in charge of her case denies the
04:41request.
04:42In response, supporters of the Free Britney movement take to the street, protesting outside
04:47the courtroom.
04:48Even Britney's ex-husband, Jason Alexander, is there.
04:51The reason I'm here is to show support for Britney, for one, and that I agree with a
04:56lot of the claims made by the movement.
04:59In February 2021, a New York Times documentary sparked renewed interest in the movement,
05:04as the legal fight over Britney Spears' conservatorship plays out in court.
05:08We are nearing the end of the evil conservatorship.