Amber Tamblyn got real while vocalizing her support for Britney Spears amid the pop sensation’s conservatorship battle.
In an op-ed for The New York Times on Saturday, the 38-year-old actress discussed how she relates a lot to Spears, who recently offered a damning testimony by detailing the abuse she experienced under the court-appointed arrangement. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants star specifically compared their experiences as young women in the entertainment business — especially as the main breadwinner:
“I didn’t really identify with Ms. Spears’s music growing up, but I did identify with this newfound rage. Having seen some of the complications and consequences that come with finding fame and financial success at a young age, I can attest to how challenging this combination of factors can be to navigate, even for those with the best of intentions. I also know how much potential they have to turn toxic, and how vulnerable they can make a young woman.”
Related: Britney Spears Speaking Out Against Her Conservatorship May Have Sparked A Revolution
As you may know, Jamie Spears has had control over his daughter’s career, finances, and health over the past 13 years under the controversial conservatorship. And while Tamblyn recognized how her parents were “supportive and ethical in every way,” their relationship soon became strained as she became a main source of income for them:
“As I made more and more money, the circle of those I supported opened up to include extended family members and friends. I was everyone’s A.T.M.: a bank that was, nonetheless, unconditionally loved. Still, as I got older, it got harder to trust the source of that love.”
So sad…
Elsewhere in the piece, the Joan of Arcadia alum also connected with the lack of control Britney has had over her body. In her speech on Wednesday, the singer shockingly revealed she was forced to take mood-stabilizing drugs like lithium and to keep an IUD. Tamblyn wrote of the horrifying revelation:
“One of Ms. Spears’s most disturbing claims this week was that she was forced to get an IUD to prevent her from having more children; it was not just her money they wanted to control, but also her body, because in entertainment, for young women, the two are almost invariably intertwined.”
She continued:
“I’ve experienced my own version of this dynamic. Growing up, my weight was openly discussed by everyone, from family members to Hollywood creatives. I’d grin and bear it, because staying silent — and thin — meant I would get hired again; getting hired again meant people would be proud of me and that I would have the money that was needed to keep the ship afloat.”
The writer concluded the article by acknowledging how she’s experienced “just a small taste” of what Spears has suffered from and applauded her courage for speaking up:
“By speaking up, she has reminded us that our autonomy, both bodily and fiscal, is worth fighting for. We can’t unknow her truth now — as told in her own voice, not a voice that’s been written for her, curated for her, or projected onto her. Now, it’s really up to us to listen.”
Well said, Amber. Well said. You can read the entire op-ed HERE.
The Santa Monica native joins a number of celebrities who have supported Britney following her bombshell testimony — including Mariah Carey, Halsey, and Justin Timberlake. And we can imagine there will be even more who come forward to show their love to the icon over the next couple of weeks.
What are your thoughts on Tamblyn’s candid take on the Spears’ conservatorship? Let us know in the comments (below).
[Image via WENN/Avalon, FayesVision/WENN]
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