So much of Britney Spears’ story has taken place in the public eye and out of her control. But now, two years since she was released from the 13-year conservatorship placed over her by her family, the pop star has taken back the narrative. The Woman in Me, Spears’ new memoir, has been on the New York Times’ Bestseller list since its release in late October, and sources report that finding success in sharing the stories of her life in her own words has been “so cathartic.”
There are plenty of bombshell revelations in The Woman in Me, from the abortion she had after getting pregnant with Justin Timberlake to how she was almost cast as the lead of The Notebook. While reliving so much of what she’s been through couldn’t have been easy, an insider told OK! magazine that the release of the tell-all has been a healing process for Britney Spears. According to the source:
Britney has a whole new lease on life. Writing [her memoir] was so cathartic. It helped Britney cross over to the other side. She’s happier and healthier. Britney’s on the path toward healing and is in a much better place. The response to her book from fans has lifted her [spirits]. She’s really happy.
Even before her memoir, the “...Baby One More Time” singer made no secret of the hardships she had suffered. Britney Spears has made several allegations against her family over the years, accusing her father of extortion and comparing the conservatorship to “sex trafficking,” as she was allegedly made to work 10-hour days, seven days a week and was not allowed to have her IUD removed in order to try to have another baby. Seemingly small things were taken away from her too, as the singer was apparently not allowed to drive, drink a glass of wine or carry cash.
It sounds like being able to sort through more of her life experiences — both good and bad — was a therapeutic practice for Britney Spears. The “Hold Me Closer” artist also wrote in The Woman in Me about her first kiss with Justin Timberlake — coincidentally while a Janet Jackson song was playing in the background — and other memories from her time on The Mickey Mouse Club.
Unsurprisingly, the *NSYNC singer is a fairly significant part of Britney Spears’ story, and therefore things haven’t been so easy on Justin Timberlake. Spears’ ex-boyfriend has seen a lot of backlash since The Woman in Me came out for how he handled his big breakup with Spears and the aftermath, when she was vilified in the press. The Trolls Band Together star even had to shut off his Instagram comments, which just sent angry fans to his wife Jessica Biel’s page.
Britney Spears’ relationship with her family is still complicated, to say the least, and she also announced that she is divorcing Sam Asghari after one year of marriage. Despite any battles she’s still fighting, though, seeing that people are interesting in hearing about the events of her life in her own words hopefully did put her on a path to healing. The Woman in Me is available now, with an audiobook narrated by Michelle Williams.
