Britney Spears has revealed in her upcoming memoir, The Woman in Me, that she had an abortion at the age of 17 when she got pregnant with her then-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake. The pop star’s book delves into her 13-year conservatorship under her father, James Spears, shedding light on various aspects of her personal and professional life.
According to extracts published in People Magazine, Timberlake was “not happy” about the pregnancy, expressing that they were not ready to have a baby at that stage of their lives. Spears explained that Timberlake was certain he did not want to be a father, and she agreed to the abortion despite questioning if it was the right decision. She emphasized that if the choice had been solely hers, she might not have gone through with it. However, she loved Timberlake deeply and had expected to have a family with him in the future, albeit at a later time.
In response to the revelations, the BBC reached out to Timberlake for comment, but no official statement has been released as of yet. The former couple, who dated from 1999 to 2002, have since moved on with their lives. Spears went on to have two children, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.
The release of Spears’ memoir comes two years after the end of her conservatorship, which she describes in the book as stripping away her womanhood. Her father established the conservatorship in 2008 following her highly publicized breakdown and head-shaving incident. The arrangement granted her father control over her finances, career decisions, personal matters, and even her ability to have more children.
During a court testimony in 2021, Spears made serious allegations of being drugged, forced to perform against her will, and being prohibited from having more children. The singer refers to the conservatorship as “soul-crushing” in her upcoming memoir, offering further insights into the extent of its impact on her life. She expresses her frustration at being pushed to be wild onstage while being treated as a robot offstage.
In addition to detailing the negative aspects of her conservatorship, Spears recalls moments of joy from her childhood in the book. She writes about her attempts to find normalcy by returning to her high school in Kentwood, Louisiana, and experiencing ordinary activities such as homecoming, prom, and going to the movies. However, her career soon took off, signing a record deal with Jive Records at the age of 15 and becoming a pop sensation with hits like “Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again.”
Since the end of her conservatorship, Spears has recorded several more hits and recently collaborated with Elton John. She also briefly married her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, before their relationship ended in divorce.
Through her memoir, Spears aims to assert her newfound identity and embrace her strength and confidence as a woman. She reflects on her past as someone passive and pleasing, contrasting it with who she has become today.
Britney Spears’ candid revelations about her abortion with Justin Timberlake at 17 and her experiences under the conservatorship have sparked conversations about reproductive rights, personal autonomy, and the influence of fame and control in the lives of celebrities. Many fans and supporters of Spears hope that her story will raise awareness and contribute to positive change in the entertainment industry.