Stronger Than Yesterday: #FreeBritney and the Broader Fight Against Conservatorships

03/06/24 • 35 min

#FreeBritney! Britney Spears has been a lightning rod since the moment she appeared on MTV. We discuss the ways in which she’s been a model of how it’s impossible to be a woman in the public eye, at every age, and how her conservatorship shed a light on the way the legal system can be weaponized, especially against people with disabilities. And then, NWLC lawyer and disability justice advocate Ma'ayan Anafi joins us to make the connection between Britney Spears and the larger fight against forced sterilization and conservatorships.
Ma’ayan’s report, Forced Sterilization of Disabled People in the United States can be found here: https://nwlc.org/resource/forced-sterilization-of-disabled-people-in-the-united-states/

Previous Episode

Justice for Janet: Policing the Bodies of Black Women and Girls

Janet Jackson’s infamous Super Bowl halftime show wasn’t hers alone, but she sure took the blame. We rewrite history on what really happened with Janet and draw the connection to how Black women and girls’ bodies are still policed, especially through dress codes in school. And then, we talk with Dr. Monique Couvson, a scholar and expert on school pushout, about how Janet’s treatment mirrors what happens to Black girls in schools all across the country.
Check out Grantmakers for Girls of Color here: https://g4gc.org/

Learn more about Dr. Couvson and her work here: https://drmoniquecouvson.com/

NWLC’s Dress Coded reports can be found here:

https://nwlc.org/resource/dresscoded/

Next Episode

The One Where Friends Ripped Off Living Single: Co-opting Black Women's Work

Living Single, a sitcom featuring six Black roommates in New York was a hit when it debuted on Fox in 1993. But in 1994, NBC created an eerily similar show with a white cast called Friends. They aired in direct competition, and the rest is history. We explore Living Single’s legacy and the repercussions of co-opting and devaluing the work of Black women.

Living Single vs. Friends: Erika Alexander Speaks Out: https://zora.medium.com/why-the-friends-vs-living-single-twitter-beef-really-matters-ce54d9559457

Erika Alexander says the 'Living Single' and 'Friends' needs 'a larger conversation': https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/erika-alexander-says-living-single-friends-needs-larger-conversation-rcna83757