Christina Aguilera speaks out in support of Britney Spears: ‘Every woman must have the right to her own body’

‘My heart goes out to Britney,’ Aguilera tweeted

Christina Aguilera says that Britney Spears “deserves all of the freedom possible” amid her battle to end her conservatorship.

Last week, Spears spoke in an open court about her long-running conservatorship for the first time, saying that she was “depressed” and wanted it to end. You can read her full statement here.

In a lengthy Twitter thread shared on Monday (28 June), Aguilera – who found fame alongside Spears as a child on The Mickey Mouse Club – wrote that she’d spent the days since the hearing thinking about the “Toxic” singer.

“It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish,” she tweeted.

“To be silenced, ignored, bullied or denied support by those ‘close’ to you is the most depleting, devastating and demeaning thing imaginable. The harmful mental and emotional damage this can take on a human spirit is nothing to be taken lightly.”

Aguilera wrote that every woman deserves the right to “her own body [and] her own reproductive system,” a reference to Spears’s claim that she has been prevented from removing her IUD to have a baby.

The “Dirrty” singer explained that she had not heard anything beyond what was reported in the media, but added: “The conviction and desperation of this plea for freedom leads me to believe that this person I once knew has been living without compassion or decency from those in control.

“To a woman who has worked under conditions and pressure unimaginable to most, I promise you she deserves all of the freedom possible to live her happiest life,” she concluded. “My heart goes out to Britney. She deserves all the TRUE love and support in the world.”

Having grown up in the industry together, Spears and Aguilera were frequently painted as rivals by the press when they both began their pop careers in the late 1990s.

In the days since Spears’s hearing, many celebrities have spoken out in support of her. These included Justin Timberlake, the singer’s former partner who also began working alongside the singer and Aguilera on The Mickey Mouse Club.

Spears’s father Jamie told the court in a statement he was “sorry” to hear how his daughter was suffering.

”He is sorry to see his daughter suffering and in so much pain,” the statement read. “Mr Spears loves his daughter very much.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, Samaritans offers support. You can speak to someone in confidence over the phone on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website here.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.