Toxic: The Damaging Portrayal of Female Artists in the Media

The name Britney carries a lot of weight. Whether it's dancing to her iconic anthems with spirit and love on the daily, or simply hearing the sound of one of her infectious tunes come on the radio, we all know the name Britney Spears. Throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, Britney Spears was pop music’s it girl - but the fame wasn’t all glitz and glamor. While glory is something many people covet, Britney Spears’ journey to the spotlight was a living nightmare. With the release of The New York Times’ documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’, a lot of questions have been raised around the treatment of women in fame, the injustice Britney Spears has faced throughout the years, and with it, the #FreeBritney movement that has soared to an all time high. With all of the buzz surrounding the case of Britney Spears, it raises the question: Is this a fad? Cancel culture at its finest? An exposé on sexism and misogyny in the music industry? Whatever is behind the buzzing trend, it is an important story to tell. 

Now, there is no denying Britney’s success in the music industry. Whether you like her music or not, six AMA nominations, eight Grammy nominations, a win of each, and eight Billboard Music Awards prove a LOT of people did. However, despite her success, the way she was portrayed in the media was difficult and wrong. “Britney’s Meltdown!” Psycho Britney: Locked up and Losing” or “Britney Shears” are among the hundreds of tabloid headlines telling the story of a woman who could not care for herself. After her split from Justin Timberlake in 2002, the world took Justin’s side, and that was the start of Britney’s turbulent descent. Justin Timberlake recently made a public statement regarding his relationship with Britney Spears after the release of the documentary. “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.”

Not only has ‘Framing Britney Spears’ brought forth apologies and acknowledgements from other stars, paparazzis, and fans, it has also amplified the voice crying “Free Britney!” The #FreeBritney movement has been prominent since August, but amid the release of The New York Times’ documentary, Britney Spears’ personal life and struggles have been put on display in a raw and vulnerable way. It all started in 2008 when Britney Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, and his lawyer arranged a conservatorship over Britney. A legal concept that ensures a guardian is given control over someone’s finances and daily life events, a conservatorship is typically established in the case of old age or mental and physical disability. So how is Britney Spears a conservatee to her father? “That led to multiple stints in rehab, two separate hospitalizations under psychiatric holds and losing custody of her two sons to ex-husband Kevin Federline” says Times about the few events leading to the conservatorship. There is a battle raging between those who think what is happening is just and those who think it is not, and the support that has emerged in these past few months show a hopeful future for Britney Spears and for many women akin to her. 

We are a part of the next generation of female artists, scientists, musicians, engineers, chefs, lawyers, and business owners, and seeing the control, misogyny, sexism, and lack of recognition handed to Britney Spears is disheartening to say the least. Not only did the powerful news outlets and lawyers slowly chip away at Britney, the fans and supporters who turned to haters when things got rocky also harmed her. A challenging part of our society is the lack of loyalty when things go south. What we can learn from Britney Spears’  treatment is that having each other's backs goes a long way. The toxic portrayal of female artists in the media is seeing a shift in light of the uphill battle many have already fought.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56047830

https://time.com/5921720/britney-spears-conservatorship-free-britney/