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She opened up in a rare moment in March 2021 -

In a post on Instagram at the end of March, Spears opened up about why she was hesitant to watch the doc. "My life has always been very speculated...watched...and judged really my whole life," she wrote. "It takes a lot of strength to TRUST the universe with your real vulnerability cause I've always been so judged... insulted... and embarrassed by the media... and I still am till this day." Though she didn't watch the doc in full, she wrote, "From what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in...I cried for two weeks and well....I still cry sometimes."

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A high-profile movement -

Stars including Kacey Musgraves, Bette Midler, Miley Cyrus, and Sarah Jessica Parker have thrown their weight behind #FreeBritney on social media. 

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Strange videos - On social media, Britney Spears has been posting videos that quickly turned into memes, where she’s performing odd dance routines, explaining that she burnt her gym down, and just generally seeming strange, which has made people question what's behind it.

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Enter: the conservatorship - The 39-year-old pop star has been under a legal conservatorship since 2008, following her infamous 2007 meltdown.

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What is a conservatorship? - In the US, a conservatorship is a legal concept in which a guardian or a protector is appointed by a judge to manage the financial affairs and/or daily life of another due to physical or mental limitations or old age.

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It started as crisis prevention - Britney Spears was reportedly put under conservatorship to prevent her from making poor financial and business decisions while dealing with some mental health issues which had, at the time, caused her to lose custody of her two sons, shave her head, and go to rehab.

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Jamie Spears was named conservator - Her father Jamie Spears was named conservator and had complete control over her entire estate, financial assets, and some personal assets—which some estimate was around US$60 million.

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But 12 years later, the conservatorship is still there - Britney Spears still has no legal control over her financial and business affairs, even though since 2008 she has been mentally capable enough to drop albums, make music videos, do world tours, create her own million-dollar perfume line, appear as a judge on ‘The X Factor,’ and land a residency in Las Vegas between 2013 and 2017.

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The conservator has a lot of power - According to ABC, the conservator decides where the conservatee will live, makes arrangements for their meals, health care, clothing, personal care, housekeeping, transportation, recreation and well-being. Conservators of their estate also collect their income, pay their bills, and take control of all their assets. This legal action is typically reserved for the elderly, severely disabled, or those in a coma.

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Britney Spears has to request permission to use her money - Business Insider reported that "financial records are required to be disclosed as part of Spears' conservatorship, so her fortune and spending habits are well documented to the public."

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Fans claim she can’t hire a lawyer - One part of the conspiracy theory is that she could not hire her own lawyer to represent her, and a petition on Change.org for her right to an attorney garnered over 230,000 signatures as of July 27, 2020. 

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The status of the conservatorship right now -

Her father temporarily stepped down from conservator in September 2019 due to his own health reasons, and Jodi Montgomery, Britney’s longtime care manager, stepped in. In late August, a judge ruled that Britney’s conservatorship would be extended until February 1, 2021. Furthermore, Jamie took over again, despite Britney requesting that Montgomery stay in the role.

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Fans protested at her court hearing - Fans actually organized and protested the conservatorship outside the downtown LA courthouse where the singer’s hearing took place on July 22.

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Britney Spears didn’t show up for the hearing - The singer was expected to virtually appear at the LA court hearing, but leaked court documents revealed she wasn't present. Her parents, however, were there.

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Other things that occurred -

Her mother, Lynne Spears, filed legal documents requesting to be included in decisions regarding the conservatorship, and Jamie Spears' request to remove the case from public view was granted.

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The conspiracy - The underlying theory is that Britney Spears is being held hostage by her father, being put to work like an adult but treated like a child, and that she has “handlers” who control her life.

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The yellow shirt conspiracy - A fan commented on one of her videos, “If you need help wear yellow in your next video,” and in the next video she posted, Spears was wearing a yellow shirt.

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The yellow shirt conspiracy -

What’s more, the star captioned the extremely bizarre video by explaining that her florist surprised her with a flower arrangement and: “I was so excited I threw on my favorite yellow shirt and just had to SHARE.”

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Another coincidence or cry for help? - Another fan commented on a video of hers saying, “Just tell us where you are we can save you.” In the next video she posted, she was dancing—again, strangely—to the song ‘Malibu.’

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Celebrities on #FreeBritney -

Her 'Crossroads' co-star Taryn Manning commented on the movement in an Instagram post, where she wrote, “Until you know the facts stop speculating and perpetuating the father of lies,” but then added, “We all know she’s under a type of control that’s unfair and things will be fixed. Have faith.”

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Cher made a strong point - Cher tweeted, "Question … Why is a woman being worked, if it's known by her conservator that she's not well enough to care for herself?"

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Rose McGowan spoke up - In a post remembering the late Brittany Murphy, McGowan wrote, “There’s another Britney on my mind today, too, one that is alive, one that can be saved from the leaches [sic] that are controlling and trafficking her. Free all the Britneys and all those who get hurt by the trauma of Hollywood values and toxic ‘rules.’ #FreeBritney.”

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Other stars using the hashtag - Other celebrities who have spoken out or used the #FreeBritney hashtag include Paris Hilton, Snooki, and Miley Cyrus, the latter of whom reportedly shouted "Free Britney" while performing at a concert in 2019.

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Her sister defends her privacy - In a now-deleted post Jamie Lynn Spears made about mental illness in July, someone commented asking her to address her sister’s “obvious mental illness,” and Jamie Lynn came to her defense, writing, “You have no right to assume anything about my sister.”

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Her sister is there for her -

Jamie Lynn added, “And I have NO right to speak about HER health and personal matters. She is a strong, bada—, unstoppable woman, and that’s the only thing that is OBVIOUS.”

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Financial trustee -

It's also since been revealed that Jamie Lynn had previously been named the trustee of Britney's SJB Revocable Trust in 2018. "The pop star's younger sister will be responsible for ensuring her fortune is transferred into a trust benefitting Britney's children in the event of her death," reports ET.

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Her brother spoke on the conservatorship - On the July 23 episode of the ‘As Not Seen on TV’ podcast, Bryan Spears, the eldest of the siblings, stated that his sister "always wanted to get out of" the conservatorship. That directly contradicts other reports of Britney skipping court hearings because she "didn't contest the conservatorship."

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He empathized with her - "It's very frustrating to have," Bryan Spears said about the legal arrangement. "Whether someone's coming in peace to help or coming in with an attitude, having someone constantly tell you to do something has got to be frustrating."

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Yet he still thinks it’s a good idea -

Bryan Spears said he’s aware that people think she's being "held against her will in some capacity," but described the conservatorship as "a great thing for our family." He added that not everyone agreed on it when they were initially making the decision, "but at the end I think we made the right choice."

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And he defended their father -

Bryan Spears said his father being conservator was a “sacrifice” and that "in general, he's done the best he could given the situation he's in."

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Doubts about adjusting - Bryan Spears expressed concern about the impact of lifting the conservatorship and how his sister will adjust, as she has “been surrounded by a team of people since she was 15.”  He mentioned that she’s never had to do “everyday tasks” like making reservations or driving herself somewhere—not that those are particularly difficult to learn.

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Jamie Spears' reaction -

Jamie Spears reportedly rejected the campaign angrily, which makes him out to be a villain, calling it "a joke" and calling supporters "conspiracy theorists." While he denied all the allegations made against him and said these matters are private, Britney's struggles have always been made public so her crusaders aren't backing down.

See also: The strangest celebrity conspiracy theories.

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