Pop star Britney Spears has revealed in an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, The Woman in Me, that she had an abortion almost 20 years ago after becoming pregnant with singer Justin Timberlake's baby. According to Spears, Timberlake was not happy about the pregnancy, and they both agreed they were too young and unprepared to have a child at the time. Spears stated that the decision to have an abortion was one of the most agonizing experiences of her life.
Spears and Timberlake began dating in 1999 when they were 17 and 18 years old, respectively. Their relationship ended in 2002, and Spears went on to become engaged to dancer Kevin Federline three months after meeting him. They had two children together before divorcing in 2006.
The revelation of Spears' abortion comes as she prepares to release her memoir and marks her return to the spotlight after years of being under a conservatorship led by her father. The conservatorship, which gave her father control over her finances and personal decisions, was terminated in 2021 after 13 years. Spears has since married fitness trainer and actor Sam Asghari, and she describes herself as finally free to tell her story.
In her memoir, Spears also touches on the conservatorship, stating that it made her feel like she was losing pieces of herself and stripped her of her womanhood. She believes that such an arrangement would not have been approved if she were not a woman and points out the unequal treatment of male artists who have faced public struggles.
Throughout her career, Spears has achieved immense success, selling over 70 million albums, singles, and songs. She has won numerous awards, including a Grammy, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Spears' memoir is set to be released on October 24, and she is featured on the cover of People magazine this week, marking her first magazine cover in five years. The magazine includes an interview with Spears and excerpts from her book.