Britney Spears has always had a very on again off again relationship with Instagram, so I’m never really surprised when she decides to delete her account. I always assume she’ll be back on the platform sooner or later. I tell you this because on Sunday, Our Lady of Spears and Piercing Instagram Captions went for her family’s collective jugular in a since deleted Instagram post following the settlement of her conservatorship case with her father Jamie Spears. Her conservatorship was terminated in 2021, but it wasn’t until last week that they finally settled regarding legal fees and such.
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Then, less than 24 hours after uploading that post, Britney deleted her entire Instagram account. Cue anonymous sources lining up to speak to tabloids about why Britney deleted her account and opining on her mental health and financial health. I’m going to share the details below, but please keep in mind that for the most part it’s all chisme and speculation, except for the legal parts. Also, there is a lot of money to be made off what has been dubbed “the Britney economy” because you know most people aren’t talking or speculating for free, instead they sing like canaries to a chorus of cha-ching.
Let’s start with Britney’s post on Sunday.
In part of the heated caption of the since deleted post, she wrote: “My family hurt me !!! There has been no justice and probably never will be !!!” If you’re familiar with Britney on Instagram, then you know her captions don’t always make complete sense to anyone but her. I’m not trying to be a jerk here, I’m just saying that they come off as in the moment rants that she does not edit for clarity.
For context: The post came after Britney settled with her father in court.
Keep in mind that Britney’s post and caption came after finding out on Saturday—in other words, the day before—that not only is she not getting any money back for what she considers her father’s mismanagement of her funds when he was in charge of her conservatorship, she also has to pay the legal fees he incurred when she took him to court to get out of said conservatorship.
Shortly after her post on Sunday, she deleted her account.
Not even 24 hours passed before Britney deleted her entire Instagram account. But, it’s not like she hasn’t done that before. Still, it got everyone talking and speculating about her well-being.
TMZ even had a source tell them that Britney is in “serious danger" mentally and financially. I can't with these sources that come out of the woodwork whenever Britney calls attention to herself.
"Unimpeachable" sources also told the outlet that Britney is “completely dysfunctional,” hasn’t had any supervision since the conservatorship ended, and has radical mood swings. Really?
TMZ was also told that Britney is in danger of going broke because she’s so much money traveling. "She cannot afford this. She had $60 million when the conservatorship ended, and she's now where the conservatorship started—in danger of going broke"… TMZ quoted a source as saying.
I am calling NOPE.
OK, to that I say: She’s been functional enough to collaborate with Elton John on the hit song “Hold Me Closer” and release her #1 New York Times best-selling memoir The Woman in Me. And that’s just a couple of things she’s done since the conservatorship ended.
Stop it! Just stop it!
This whole calling in of experts who have nothing to do with Britney is shameful. Just because you are a psychiatrist doesn't mean that you know what is going on with someone who isn't your patient.
Can you imagine having a psychiatrist who isn't even your psychiatrist and has never treated you comment on your mental state based on what other people are saying about you and your posts on social media? Yeah, NO! You can't diagnose a stranger, all you can do is give your opinion. But, you know, the public hears "expert" and all of a sudden opinions start sounding more like facts. It's gross.
It's dangerous to do this to Britney.
I hate it. Isn’t this the kind of thing that landed Britney in a conservatorship in the first place? Media constantly portraying her as unstable. Other people thinking she wasn’t fit to make decisions about her own life? Just stop it already! It reeks of sexism and reminds me of a quote from Britney’s memoir:
“Think of how many male artists gambled all their money away; how many had substance abuse or mental health issues. No one tried to take away their control over their body and money. I didn’t deserve what my family did to me.” – Britney Spears, The Woman in Me
And FYI, by Tuesday, Britney had already restored her IG account.
The post that started this latest IG fiasco has been deleted, but the rest of her account is back. Maybe she just needed a minute to process. Maybe she’s just not good at pausing before posting. Maybe we all need to stop reading so much into every dang thing that she does and let her breathe, make mistakes, and move on.
Shouldn’t freedom from her conservatorship mean freedom to succeed or fail on her own terms?
Britney was basically stripped of all her rights under her conservatorship for 13 years. In comparison, it really hasn’t been that long since she was given back control of her life. Is it really that weird if she’s making up for lost time by spending her money on whatever she wants? Does it make her
She may not be done with dealing with the court of public opinion, but at least she's done dealing with her father in court.
“It has been our honor and privilege to represent, protect, and defend Britney Spears,” Britney’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, said in a statement to CNN on Saturday, April 27.
“Ms. Spears is and always will be an icon and a brilliant and brave artist of historic and epic proportion,” the statement continued. “Although the conservatorship was terminated in November 2021, her wish for freedom is now truly complete. As she desired, her freedom now includes that she will no longer need to attend or be involved with court in this matter.”
