Placed under the guardianship of his father for 13 years, the 39-year-old artist believes that this measure is abusive, and pleaded his case before the Los Angeles court.
- Britney Spears confides in a report suffering from bipolarity in 2013.
- Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depressive illness, is a long-term illness that causes mood swings. In its most typical form, it alternates between periods of uplifted mood (manic episode) and downturned mood (depressive episode).
“I want to be able to get married and have a child. I was just told, just now, that under guardianship, I couldn’t get married or have a baby.” The famous singer Britney Spears pleaded in court in Los Angeles on Wednesday June 23 to regain control of her life. Diagnosed as bipolar, the pop star was placed under the guardianship of her father in 2008, after a descent into psychological hell (having notably led her to refuse to give her children to their father and to shave her head in front of the paparazzi ).
“I cry everyday”
Among the very strict conditions imposed on her, Britney Spears notably claimed to be forced to keep her IUD, which considerably shocked social networks. “I could try to have another child, but this so-called team won’t let me go to the doctor, because they don’t want me to have children, other children”she explained. “I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve the same rights as anyone else”, she believes, supported by many fans and artists, who have been mobilizing for years on social networks and in the street around the hashtag #FreeBritney (“Free Britney”).
“I lied and told the whole world saying ‘I’m fine and I’m happy’. It’s a lie. I thought that if I said enough, maybe I would become happy, because I was in denial”, also said the distressed singer. She also says “traumatized” and “depressed” : “I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s crazy. […] I cry every day.”
How does a guardianship work?
Beyond the people aspect, the sad situation of Britney Spears exposes the delicate question of the guardianship of the mentally ill. Unfortunately sometimes necessary, guardianship is a legal measure intended to protect an adult and/or all or part of their assets if they are no longer able to look after their own interests due to the deterioration of their mental faculties. , or when she is physically unable to express her will. On a daily basis, a guardian represents the patient in acts of civil life, as Britney Spears’ father, Jamie, currently does.
The protection litigation judge (Brenda Penny in the case of Britney Spears) sets the duration of the guardianship, limited to 5 or 10 years if the alteration of the personal faculties of the person under guardianship does not appear manifestly likely to experience an improvement according to the data acquired by science.
A legal vagueness concerning the contraception of the mentally ill
The judge can lighten the measure at any time, and can also list the acts that the person can do alone or not, on a case-by-case basis. A legal framework that seems clear, but in the case of Britney Spears and the obligation to wear an IUD, a legal vagueness exists in France.
The government indicates that medical intervention can be decided by the person under guardianship “if his condition allows it”, which seems to be the case of Britney Spears, who appears to be perfectly lucid on the many videos she posts of her on Instagram. For its part, the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs explains, in its 1998 report, that“we must be able to temporarily impose contraception on a person”. “Except that it is only a recommendation and no legal text governs access to contraceptive methods (pill, IUD, implant, etc.) for people with mental disabilities. So, juggling the notions of freedom and security of each of their residents, whose consent is sometimes complicated to obtain, health professionals are groping”, Explain investigation from France Info.
Thus, the President and CEO of American Planned Parenthood publicly supported Britney Spears on her Twitter account, saying that the state star victim of “reproductive coercion”. “We stand in solidarity with Britney and all women facing reproductive coercion. Your reproductive health is yours – and no one should make the decision about it for you,” she wrote.
The case of Britney Spears is very complex
The situation becomes even more complex when we know that Britney Spears has long had a difficult relationship with her father, accused by members of the #FeeBritney movement of taking advantage of his daughter’s fortune. I’Britney Spears’ lawyer recently asked the court to replace Jamie Spears with the professional tutor who is currently co-managing her case with her father.
Last delicate element to take into account: bipolar people are bipolar to varying degrees, and the disease is not linear in time. A patient can thus perfectly manage his life if he is well followed medically, then stop his treatments and lose control of them, as was for example the case of Kanye West during his last political speech. All bipolars also do not necessarily have the status of disabled workers, because the mildest cases manage to lead a normal professional life.
The guardianship of the singer did not prevent the artist from remaining professionally active: she released three albums and performed a series of residency shows in Las Vegas, also making a few appearances on television shows. In January 2019, however, she announced that she was suspending her artistic activities until further notice.
.
