Britney Spears has posted a video to Twitter addressing the recent end to her 13-year conservatorship and thanking the Free Britney movement, saying her fans “saved [her] life.”
A Los Angeles judge finally dissolved Spears’ involuntary conservatorship last week, sparking jubilation among the many fans who had been fervently following the case. Under the legal arrangement, Spears’ life and finances had been controlled by her father, who reportedly had such complete authority that he could even prevent the pop star from getting married.
As such, Spears’ hard-won legal authority to make her own decisions about her own life was cause for celebration.
“I’m just grateful, honestly, for each day,” says Spears in the two-minute video posted on Tuesday. “And being able to have the keys to my car, and being able to be independent for a woman. And owning an ATM card, seeing cash for the first time, being able to buy candles. It’s the little things for us women, but it makes a huge difference.”
Spears also acknowledged other people struggling in similar situations as well as people with disabilities, saying that she wants to advocate for them.
“Hopefully my story will make an impact and make some changes in the corrupt system,” said Spears.
The singer’s high-profile case has brought new attention to conservatorship in the U.S. Ostensibly intended to protect vulnerable people and those with a disability, the legal arrangement as currently conceived can be abused to rob individuals of their autonomy.
Significantly, Spears thanked her fans and the Free Britney social movement for rallying behind her and advocating for her welfare.
“You guys rock,” said Spears. “Honestly, my voice was muted and threatened for so long, and I wasn’t able to speak up or say anything. And because of you guys and the awareness of kind of knowing what was going on and delivering that news to the public for so long, you gave it awareness to all of them. And because of you, I honestly think you guys saved my life in a way. One hundred percent.”
