Britney Spears PR: Society Needs a Makeover

Britney Spears needs a PR person who is a feminist. Any other kind is going to try to change her, her "behavior", rather than tackle the issues society has with women. Still. As evidenced by continued media coverage, by women and men, about her "antics". Now, her right to shared custody of her children is in jeopardy as her ex is taking this opportunity to take the kids, out of "concern" ("if true" said his lawyer, Kaplan) with latest reports.

The media is citing 4 causes for alarm:
1. Britney hit a parked car and didn't leave a note,
2. Britney was frolicking, topless, with "barely legals", under the influence of alcohol, whom she had only met earlier that day ("strangers") , until 4 a.m., when her boys were going to be dropped off to her care the next day at 12:00 p.m.,
3. Britney had a "melt-down" during her OK! interview, leaving damaged goods and taking designer-ware/wear,
4. Britney recently allowed Jayden to stay up "way past his bedtime".

Again, words like "troubled", out-of-control, and "erratic behavior" are being used, in contrast to the words, "mother of two young boys". Britney Spears vs Motherhood. "Mother" is taking on new meaning these days, where you can now find a thesaurus with the "like" words, "saint", "celibate", "teetoller", and "prudish". Britney Spears may not be a fit mother because she takes her clothes off with new men, lets her kids stay up late, and is not responsible in a parking lot (parked citizens beware!). The portrait painted, is that Britney is wild, and not a newly staid, quiet, homebody of a mother who goes to bed with her children at 8 o'clock. Bad Britney. Oh, and really, we're just worried, er...concerned, for her young sons.

I saw, in one of the articles, a limp excuse about how she is just like a lot of single mothers out there. As if they're all bad too, who are "this way". This is what I'm asking society to do, and the media to think about--let's spin it, shall we?

Men. Fathers. The family man. When is the last time you ever heard of a mother going to court to fight for full custody because of her husband's "erratic behavior" wherein he had invited some new women over to his house to "frolic" the night before his kids were dropped off with him? I'd like to know, when, in the history of custody court, this has ever happened. Or, when a father has hit a parked car and not left a note and then been labeled "troubled"? and "out of it?" Or when a father has been negligent for allowing his son to stay up "way past his bedtime?" What destructive force is at work when this happens, by the way, when a toddler is allowed to stay up way past their bedtime when there is no school for them in the morning and they can sleep in?

It was irresponsible for Britney not to leave a note. I saw the footage and she wasn't acting erratic or trying to escape justice, she just came across as airheaded. I've hit parked cars and not left a note if there was no mark, but she DID do damage, and she wasn't thinking. However, by the footage, it appeared there were at least 30 papparazi crowding around her, literally, all the way around her car, and then at her heels when she got out. Very friendly papparazi, but is it not possible one could be distracted by this? Anyway, this has nothing to do with her kids, who were not in the car with her. And she was pulling in slowly, so it wasn't a case of reckless driving.

The OK! interview sounds like a set-up to me. It sounds as though the reporter/editors had it in for her. It is not uncommon for stars to be given a bunch of free merchandise at such a photo shoot and she could have assumed items were being given to her. It sounds as thought OK! did not request payment then, so they allowed her to walk away and then wanted to make a stoy of this and her "melt-down". This also has nothing to do with her kids. Even if there was a melt-down, everyone has 'em.

Now, the real "concern" here, is not over any of the things mentioned above. It's over the topless frolic with "strangers". Her kids were not there, and not going to be with her until the next day at 12 p.m. She could sleep in, and not only that, probably has a nanny who can assist. Her naked antics the night before have nothing to do with how she is as a mother, except that it pisses some people off who think mothers have to hang up the party hat. Men, fathers, on the other hand, may have mistresses, one-night stands, and go to strip clubs, and perhaps they are a little wild, and if married, not the greatest husbands, but no one attacks them for being bad fathers. Because men/fathers get to go out and party, and women should stay in the kitchen with the kids. And heaven forbid women leave that kitchen, for a night out. And get NAKED.
Britney, and all women, mothers, have the right to equal treatment and not to lose their kids because of a persistent double-standard.

The fact that Britney was drinking does not mean she was on a bender. She has consistently stated she never believed she had a problem with alcohol. And drinking even several drinks on occasion is no evidence of alcholism.

It's one thing if Britney were bringing strangers into her home, with her children there--but they weren't there, and there is no "issue" or "bad behavior", or "erratic behavior". There are ZERO grounds for concern and yet if Federline and his lawyer did not realize how the anti-woman media reports and societal double-standard were working for them, they wouldn't be going to court over custody.

Which brings up the past. Not wearing underwear in public, partying at night (when the kids are asleep with a good sitter), shaving her head, and driving without a carseat. The only thing Britney has ever done that is a valid concern, which was actually cleared by CPS, was driving without a seatbelt. That could be considered negligence, but the papparazi were in her face too, so it's a tiny bit understandable. But no father gets publicity over forgetting the carseat. He would be forgiven because he's a man and not expected to know everything about child rearing and safety. Leave that to the woman. The virginal, celibate, Mary, Mother of God.

I'm not saying all mothers should emulate Britney. But everyone, man and woman, fathers and mothers, should have equal rights, and, Ms. Walters, "the War" is clearly not won when this mistreatment exists. There are laws for equal pay, how about equal play?