Britney Spears Breaks Her Silence ‘Stop Profiting Off My Pain’ – Inside Kevin Federline’s Newest Shocking Memoir Claims
By Erin Whitten
The release of Kevin Federline’s memoir You Thought You Knew has been met with a swift backlash following the singer’s new allegations about Britney Spears, many of which she has denied or disputed as cruel, “manipulative,” and false. Federline’s book revisits his tumultuous marriage to and subsequent divorce from Britney, making a slew of disturbing claims that resurface some of the pain she has described as her lowest points in a relationship she entered into at just 22 years old. Federline, who finalized child support payments from Spears last November, has been accused of dragging her name through the mud for the sake of financial gain and attention.
Some of the most shocking allegations that Federline claimed, that his children told him that Britney would stand in their bedrooms at night “silently watching them sleep with a knife in her hand.” He also says that she was using cocaine while breastfeeding their newborn son and that he confronted her about it in 2006. Spears, who has vehemently denied the allegations in a statement on social media, called the stories “white lies” Federline wrote “to disgrace me.” In other passages, Federline alleges that Britney slapped him in the face while arguing and that she once punched one of their sons. He also accused her of forcing the other to bathe with her and of wishing both of their “babies were dead,” a claim so controversial that fans and commentators who have followed the former couple for years have questioned Federline’s reasons for including it.
Federline also touches on the high-profile breakdown that followed their divorce, including the 2008 incident where she was placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold after locking herself in a bathroom with her young son. Federline writes that this was the “tipping point” that warranted his victory in their custody battle, recharacterizing it as an example of his protection over the children when he “had to take matters into my own hands.” Elsewhere, he recalls catching Britney “making out” with one of her female backup dancers during the Onyx Hotel Tour, and he even alleges that the night before the two married, she called Justin Timberlake to talk to him “for closure.” Federline opines that Britney “never got over” Timberlake, writing that “we both knew we were doomed from the start.”
He also decided to take aim at the #FreeBritney movement that famously helped put an end to Spears’ 13-year conservatorship, writing that “the movement got it wrong” and that fans should be moving to a “Save Britney” campaign now that she is free. “I am terrified, shocked, and worried for her,” he continues, writing that her release “only opened the floodgates and showed the world, once again, that she can’t have peace.” “The clock is ticking,” he adds. “Something bad is going to happen if things don’t change.” The statements, which many have interpreted as patronizing to the extreme, are not the first time men have publicly questioned Spears’ stability in relation to her conservatorship or custody battles and positioned themselves as protectors of her safety.
Britney responded to the memoir herself in no uncertain terms, her statements being direct, heartfelt, and quietly strong. Federline’s comments, she said on social media, amounted to “gaslighting” and were “extremely hurtful.” She also wrote that Federline’s depiction of their relationship and ongoing custody arrangement doesn’t reflect how much she has fought and continued to fight for a relationship with their sons. “I have always pleaded and screamed to have a life with my boys,” she continued, writing that she has seen one son for only 45 minutes in five years and the other “just 4 times in 5 years.” She acknowledged that relationships with teenage sons “can be complicated” but also made clear that she will not be shamed or silenced any longer. “I have pride too,” she said. “From now on, I will let them know when I am available.”
Britney is as resilient as she has ever been in her recent statements. She is opening up old wounds and scars, yes, but she is speaking with brutal honesty rather than venom or vitriol. She’s compassionate even while surrounded by hostility, kind even in the face of accusation. In particular, she is gentle and protective when she talks about her children, who would be the focus of attacks by their own father. In the face of a book project designed to take her down, Britney is grounded and reflective. She’s been through a lot and said as much and she should never be made to feel ashamed for it ever again.
