Britney Spears clarified on Instagram that her memoir, The Woman in Me, was never intended to offend anyone. She emphasized that her book reflects her past self and does not represent her current beliefs.
The Grammy winner mentioned that the majority of the book's stories are from two decades ago and she has since moved on. In a post on Friday, she expressed, "I see it as a fresh start from this point forward!!! My intention is to maintain that perspective for the rest of my life!!! Regardless, this concludes everything and life has its ups and downs. I never realized the necessity of penning this book, but although it may offend some, it has allowed me to find closure and strive for a better future."
The Woman in Me will be available in bookstores starting on Tuesday, October 24. According to We, Spears shares memories from her career, her legal battle for conservatorship, and her three-year relationship with Justin Timberlake.
An exclusive source informed We earlier this month that Timberlake, aged 42, would be displeased with the book's contents, suggesting that Spears strongly criticizes him. However, another insider clarified that Spears did not intend to harm anyone and simply wanted to present the facts as she sees them.
Several days later, a shocking revelation emerged regarding Timberlake when Spears disclosed in a published excerpt in People that she had undergone an abortion while they were dating. In her written account, Spears stated, "Justin was clearly unhappy with the pregnancy. He expressed that we were not prepared to handle the responsibility of having a child at such a young age." Additionally, Spears clarified that she opted to terminate the pregnancy due to Timberlake's lack of readiness to embrace parenthood.
Gallery Books/MegaShe confessed, "There will be individuals who loathe me for this, but I made a commitment to not proceed with the pregnancy. I'm uncertain if I made the correct choice. If it were solely up to me, I would have never gone through with it. However, Justin was resolute in his decision to not become a parent."
Timberlake has not publicly addressed the allegations made in Spears' book, but a source revealed that he is actively trying to distance himself from it.
Spears and Timberlake were in a relationship from 1999 to 2002 after meeting on the set of The Mickey Mouse Club. According to Spears' memoir, their breakup was due to infidelity on both sides. After their split, Spears went on to have two sons, Sean Preston (18) and Jayden (17), with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, whom she was married to from 2004 to 2007. Timberlake, on the other hand, has two sons, Silas (8) and Phineas (3), with his wife Jessica Biel, whom he married in October 2012.
Timberlake faced criticism in 2021 following the release of the Framing Britney Spears documentary. The documentary shed light on his involvement in the negative portrayal of Spears post their breakup. In response to the backlash, he offered an apology to Spears. In a post shared on Instagram in February 2021, he expressed deep regret for instances where his actions contributed to the problem, spoke out of turn, or failed to stand up for what was right. He acknowledged the flawed nature of the industry, which predominantly favors the success of men, especially white men, as it is intentionally designed that way.
Timberlake openly admitted to his past mistakes and acknowledged the respect he now has for Spears. He recognized that he failed her during that time and emphasized the importance of using his privileged position to speak out. Reflecting on his ignorance, he expressed his determination to no longer benefit from others' downfall. Timberlake affirmed his commitment to personal growth, stating that he can and will do better.
Despite the controversy, a source informed Us at the time that Spears does not bear any resentment towards Timberlake. The insider stated that she believes they were young and in love and both made foolish mistakes during their relationship. While she was heartbroken when they parted ways, she no longer dwells on it.
On Friday, Spears reiterated her intention to share her story is to bring light to those who feel isolated in similar circumstances, rather than focusing on her past. She concluded by emphasizing that she has moved on since then.