Jamie Lynn Spears Defends Sister Britney Spears Ahead of Conservatorship Hearing

Jamie Lynn Spears is standing up for sister Britney Spears amid the ongoing public speculation about the pop star’s mental health. The Zoey 101 alum shared several tweets Tuesday from stars such as Halsey about the discussion on Kanye West’s current erratic behavior and the way society treats public health, taking the opportunity to share her view on the complicated situation.

“If you deal with mental illness or care for someone dealing with mental illness, then you know how important it is to respect the situation with privacy for the person, and the family trying to protect their loved ones, no matter how it may appear to the public, and as the public we must learn to do the same,” she wrote on Instagram. “I pray this doesn’t bring shame to anyone dealing with mental illness, you are not alone, and you are loved. Sending all my love and prayers to all of you .”

She then left a powerful response to someone in the comments speculating about the “Toxic” singer’s “OBVIOUS mental illness,” questioning her not speaking out about the #FreeBritney campaign. “You have no right to assume anything about my sister,” she quickly responded. “And I have no right to speak about HER health and personal matters.” The actress added, “She is a strong, badass, unstoppable woman, and that’s the only thing that is OBVIOUS.”

Jamie Lynn’s comments came just one day before a hearing had been scheduled regarding the “Womanizer” singer’s ongoing conservatorship, which was first placed on her by her father, Jamie Spears, after a public breakdown and stay in the psychiatric ward at the UCLA Medical Center in 2008. The Spears family has not publicly commented on calls for the end of the restrictions placed on Britney, now age 38. Still, last week, Lynne Spears, filed papers requesting to be included in decisions regarding the singer’s finances, according to Us Weekly. The outlet reported that Britney and her father were set to appear on a video conference hearing regarding the status of her conservatorship Wednesday.

An insider told Us Weekly, that the singer “has expressed that she doesn’t want to work again because she doesn’t want to continue to essentially keep herself under the conservatorship.” The source added that she “resents that her dad is given a monthly allowance, which is around $10,000 a month for his services overseeing her finances.”