Since time immemorial woman have been called crazy.
I just finished watching Britney VS Spears, and all of the old injustices I have suffered through have resurfaced in my memory, and my anger has been rekindled. What does the singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, businesswoman and I have in common?
Abuse.
Abuse by our boyfriends. Abuse by our fathers. Abuse by our doctors, lawyers, and judges.
The abuse of power. Men’s abuse of power.
If you don’t like what a woman is up to, call her crazy. These words are like shackles. They make women subservient. Then take away her kids. She will be obedient to whatever you want from her.
The problems started when we stood up to the men who didn’t care for us or our children. Mine wanted revenge for leaving him, and wanted to take my child away to punish me. Britney’s ex took her kids, and used them as pawns so he could extract more money from her.
The media spun the story that she had gone crazy, but Britney was grieving. What her friend said rings true, she wasn’t crazy, she was angry, hurt and upset.
Now throw in our absent dads, who weren’t present in their own children’s lives, but then swoop in to “save the day” while having ulterior motives. Both our dad’s had their private reasons for getting involved with our child custody, and none of them had to do with care or concern.
Then add in the fact of Britney’s involuntary psychiatric hold, which sounds like something from medieval times, where women were locked away by their husbands or families when they acted out or didn’t behave. My X told me that when he was done with me, he’d have me committed.
Lawyers love painting a picture of the mom who’s lost it, unstable, unable to be a caregiver, when mothers are often deeply concerned or distraught over their children’s futures. Courts impose there own ideas with their meaningless slogan “child’s best interest”.
I think of all the money and power and prestige that Britney had, and how it was all taken away. The things that happened to Britney are happening to millions of women around the world. The unthinkable is happening. Right now. I know. I had the unthinkable happen to me.
It took two women to sleuth and research, and write and produce a documentary that was sold to Netflix, to get the media attention to help Britney, and she is a star! And her case hasn’t even been resolved yet! Can you imagine this same situation for someone without money or fame?
The extremes a woman must go to to be heard is egregious.
-In Sisterhood
