The Woman in me – Ahmet Ayağ

Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981. Britney grew up in a family of 5. Her family was traditional people, and she spent her childhood attending churches in the State of Louisiana. Britney has a legendary importance around the world, however her own life was not that legendary. Her father and mother had a tumultuous relationship. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother was a careless person.

“Raising kids in the South used to be more about respecting your parents and keeping your mouth shut.”

The only thing Britney had in her childhood was the talent for singing. She was introduced to music when she heard her maid singing in the laundry room.

“In the Bible it says your tongue is your sword. My tongue and my sword were my voice.”

The 2000s started well for Spears. During this period, she released her 3rd and 4th albums consecutively. She was constantly on the agenda with her boyfriend at the time, Justin Timberlake. In the same breath, Justin Timberlake and Britney’s relationship was not as beautiful as it seemed. Britney had to endure all kinds of manipulations of Justin.

The media never touched Justin. While Justin was found guilt free from something he did, Britney was found guilty by something she didn’t do. No matter how many times Justin cheated on Britney, nothing happened to him. I think cancel culture only works for women.

“There were rumors about him with various dancers and groupies. I let it all go, but clearly, he’d hung around. It was one of those things where you know but you just don’t say anything.”

The late 2000s were not going well for Britney. She was both dealing with media manipulation and ignoring Justin’s infidelities. At the same time, she was trying to survive under her father’s guardianship. Britney couldn’t do anything she wanted, and even what she ate and drank was interfered with. When she tried to do something she wanted, she went to rehab directly because of her father.

Britney published the book “The Woman In Me” as a reproach to these.

When Britney was pregnant with Justin’s baby, she tried to abort the child in a cruel and unhealthy way because of Justin. He forced her to take abortive pills so that it would not be heard by the media, and at this time he sat next to Britney and played the guitar while she was in pain, as if mocking her. This is an indication of how cruelly her environment treats her.

Sexism in pop culture, mental health, and unjust conservatorships are the big talking points here. I think this book will bring awareness to these topics and hopefully spark change. I’m glad Britney was finally able to tell her story on her own terms. It was heartbreaking to discover how horrible her family was treating her. Money can truly make people do horrendous things. I hope she’s able to find healing and live a life filled with freedom. The price of fame never scathes men. I think this is proof that we live in a patriarchal system. Thus, Marilyn Monroe, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston. The faces aren’t the same but their stories all end tragically and that’s the price of fame…

“A girl. And this is who I am now—someone strong and confident. A woman.”

Ahmet AYAĞ