The New York Times dropped its hit documentary “Framing Britney” last month, and to say it has made waves on social media would be an understatement. The #FreeBritney movement has maintained frenzy over almost all social media platforms, and this documentary fleshed out the already present notion that the entertainment industry, and really society, has yet to escape sexism. The documentary investigates the controversy surrounding the conservatorship given to her father, Jamie, after Spears was involuntarily committed to a hospital psychiatric ward in 2008.
After watching it, I was immediately struck by the blatant sexism Spears experienced at a young age, evident through multiple interviewers asking about her virginity, clothing choice, and multiple mothers saying they wanted to kill her for the example she set for their daughters. Britney represented the incredibly relatable dichotomy of being on the precipice of adulthood while still being a child. The world was using her for every dollar they could and working her like an adult, all while emphasizing her youth and stating that she was growing up too fast. What really resonated was that Britney’s story, while extreme due to her being a celebrity, is not unfamiliar.
It is a story of a young woman trying to find herself and her place in the world while dealing with pressure from those around her to conform to and uphold everyone else’s idea of who she is.
To the entertainment industry, Britney was a sex symbol and an easy way to make a quick buck (a picture of her getting out of a car in the early 2000s could sell for thousands of dollars). To parents, she was a bad influence because of her outfits, song lyrics and dance moves, a fact made clear by Diane Sawyer’s infamous interview with Britney that resulted in her crying and asking to end it. To her family, she was still a child that needed to be cared for, all while Britney was trying to grow up and be her own person in the spotlight. Her father taking full legal control of her life and finances after she specifically asked for him not to be her conservator only exemplifies the pre-existing notion that despite her success and age, Britney was not taken seriously.
Her struggle with identity, relationships and power is one that is extremely relatable.
Britney’s father controlling her life and finances is an extreme example of a situation young women everywhere face- the men in their life trying to control them in some form or fashion.
For some young women, their fathers control them by implementing sexist parenting styles that are stricter, such as not allowing them to be with boys alone, having an earlier curfew, or having limited opportunities to be out in the world unchaperoned. When this is questioned by the young women, they are answered with “if you were a boy it would be different.” For others, it’s their boyfriends controlling what they wear or who they hang out with. This kind of silencing makes women feel small and is perfectly exemplified in “Framing Britney.”
Britney’s story is relatable because it encapsulates the sexism that, while it isn’t as blatant as it has been in the past, is still incredibly prevalent. She was the face of music at that time and far outstripped her male counterparts financially and as a celebrity. In the age of boy bands, not only was this not seen before, but it was incredibly threatening to the men of the music industry. She, in a sense, emasculated them and the media took its revenge.
Britney’s cryptic social media presence and limited press interactions remind me vividly of a parable I heard growing up- that little girls were to be seen and not heard. It’s crazy to think about someone saying that in 2021, but it was a parable that never went away for Britney and many other young girls today. Her story represents a real issue we still have as a society- insidious sexism.
While it is not quite as obvious as the public unraveling of a woman consumed by mass entertainment, sexism is still alive and well in the way we view and treat young women in society.
In a sense, we are all Britney: being told to sit down, be quiet and entertain.