When the news broke that Britney Spears was no longer under a conservatorship, and was well and truly free from her father, her fans were thrilled. The #FreeBritney movement had seemingly worked, and now, Britney could live her life however she pleased.
Yet as soon as she began exercising her freedoms, fans began to take a closer look at how she was portrayed on social media. The longer people observed, the more concerned they became, and now fans everywhere are arguing their theories as to what's happening with Spears and why she's doing what she's doing.
Amid all the gossip, though, there are some interesting points and possibly perspectives that could reframe what people think of Britney in her post-conservatorship state.
Some Fans Speculate That Britney Isn't Doing So Well
It's clear that the conservatorship that controlled much of Britney's life had an impact on her, and it's often a topic of discussion in fan forums. While one Redditor not-so-delicately posed the question of 'what is wrong' with Britney, plenty of commenters contributed thoughtful responses.
Of course, they had to acknowledge that Britney's Instagram (when it's up and active; she recently went dark and then returned to IG shortly after) is a bit chaotic. One worried fan summed up by saying, "She typically looks to me like she hasn't brushed her hair or removed/fixed her makeup in days. Her words are nonsensical with an [occasional] bit of logic thrown in."
And it's true, many of her images repeat, and her movements (especially when she dances) can seem a bit uncoordinated. While Britney has previously expressed that she's just having fun and that posing topless photos is simply "enlightening," fans are still concerned.
Then, of course, there was Britney's pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage; some suggested that her jet-skiing adventure could have been the cause.
Altogether, Britney's had a lot to deal with recently, so it's not surprising if she's not perfectly put together 100 percent of the time. Still, fans think there's more to the story.
Did Britney's Conservatorship Impact Her Health?
Clearly, her online fans aren't mental health experts, but fans sure like to speculate over Britney's wellbeing and whether the conservatorship impacted her mental state. Some Redditors pointed out that if Britney was on the medication she claimed to have been forced to take for years, it could have disrupted her neurology permanently.
This is one explanation from fans for why Britney acts a bit erratically on social media; maybe she's not really herself in the way that she used to be.
Then again, fans are only seeing Britney through the lens of Instagram after decades of seeing her onstage only, essentially controlled appearances, and don't really have a frame of reference for what she's "really" like.
Is Britney Spears Stuck In The 2000s?
Part of why some Redditors suggested that no one knows the "real" Britney is because she's been under the control of the conservatorship for most of her life. And before the conservatorship, of course, she was raised by her parents. She seemed to have had very little control over her early career, and has spoken publicly (via social media) about those trials.
The fact that Britney hasn't really been "free" since the early 2000s at the latest has some Redditors thinking she's a bit... stuck in the past.
In fact, one fan suggested her "development" might have been "stunted" in the sense that she doesn't have the social frame of reference most people do, because she wasn't free to move about society on her own.
That fan explained; "hence the whimsical, almost childlike aura of her long winded written posts, her early 2000s wardrobe, and those random “R” rated pics." Another fan echoed the same sentiment; "I agree 100%. I feel like she’s stuck in the 2000’s. I’m sure she’s been through a lot of trauma and I feel for her."
Others agreed with the sentiment, with one elaborating, "She's a shell of the bubbly, vivacious 2000's Britney," pointing out that her "personality has deteriorated over the years."
Does Britney Seem "Erratic" Online Because She's 'Stuck In The Past'?
While no Redditor (or any fan) is a mental health or medical expert, fans could be right about Britney sticking with what she knows, from better days.
After all, the very early 2000s were when her career was skyrocketing; 2008 brought the conservatorship and a steady decline, suggest fans. And it all began with a "dispute" when Britney didn't want to hand her sons over to their dad; a biography of Britney noted, "An officer at the scene said Spears appeared to be "under the influence," but subsequent reports said Spears is suffering from mental illness, not substance abuse."
In reviewing interview footage, one fan noticed that there was a clear change in Britney over time. People have suspected that her behavioral changes were due to being unhappy but also being forced to take the medication she would later suggest she never needed. And in one interview in 2017, Britney outright said "there were many decisions that were made for me and that I didn't make myself."
Now that she is free, and apparently not taking medication, fans are just hoping Britney gets the support she needs to heal, whatever form that support takes.
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