Britney Spears celebrates newfound freedom after end of conservatorship
Britney Spears had a lot to say in her first verbal statement since her conservatorship ended on Nov. 12.
The pop star thanked the #FreeBritney movement in an Instagram video Tuesday and shared the "little things" she is enjoying now that she can. She also took aim at her family again.
"The #FreeBritney movement, you guys rock. Honestly, my voice was muted and threatened for so long and I wasn't able to speak up or say anything," Spears said, referencing the fan-led campaign that argued the singer should have control over her life after the conservatorship was established in 2008. "I honestly think you guys saved my life, in a way, 100 percent."
The "Toxic" singer's conservatorship had been in place for more than 13 years, mainly seeing her father, Jamie Spears, in control over her personal and professional life, which included an estimated $60 million estate.
Now that the court-ordered conservatorship has been terminated, Spears said she was feeling thankful for the "little things" -- like "owning an ATM card, seeing cash for the first time [and] being able to buy candles."
"I've been in the conservatorship for 13 years. That's a really long time to be in a situation you don't want to be in," she said. "I'm just grateful honestly for each day and being able to have the keys to my car, and being able to be independent and feel like a woman."
Spears also seemed to indicate she wants to see the institution of conservatorships change after what happened to her.
"I'm not here to be a victim. I'm here to be an advocate for people with real disabilities and real illnesses. I'm a very strong woman, so I can only imagine what the system has done to those people," she said. "Hopefully my story will make an impact and make some changes in the corrupt system."
In the video's caption, Spears, who turns 40 next month, said she is used to "keeping peace" in her family and "keeping my mouth shut" for them -- "but not this time."
"[H]onestly it still blows my mind every day I wake up how my family and the conservatorship were able to do what they did to me ... it was demoralizing and degrading !!!" she wrote. "I have NOT FORGOTTEN."
