Britney Spears, the iconic pop sensation, has bared her soul in her latest memoir, “The Woman in Me,” sharing a deeply personal and emotional chapter from her past. The book delves into the heart-wrenching experience of a medical abortion Britney underwent during her relationship with fellow musician Justin Timberlake. This hidden pregnancy and her subsequent decision remained a closely guarded secret until now.
In her memoir, Britney, now 41, discloses the details of this tumultuous period in her life. She explains the necessity of absolute secrecy surrounding the pregnancy and abortion. “It was important that no one find out about the pregnancy or the abortion, which meant doing everything at home,” she writes. Even her own family remained unaware of the situation. Britney confides that only her former assistant, Felicia Culotta, was privy to the truth and stood by her side throughout this ordeal. She recalls being told, “It might hurt a little bit, but you’ll be fine.”
The pain of that experience is etched into her memory. “On the appointed day, with only Felicia and Justin there, I took the little pills. Soon I started having excruciating cramps. I went into the bathroom and stayed there for hours, lying on the floor, sobbing and screaming,” Britney recounts. In her moment of vulnerability, Justin Timberlake, now 42, offered his support. “Justin came into the bathroom and lay on the floor with me. At some point, he thought maybe music would help, so he got his guitar and he lay there with me strumming it.”
Britney Spears’ revelations in her memoir have sparked discussions, with no immediate response from Justin Timberlake’s representative regarding her candid reflections.
The famous singer, known for hits like “Toxic,” and the former *NSYNC member began their relationship when Britney was just 17, and Justin was 18, back in 1999. Their journey together continued until 2002. Britney reveals in her memoir, “I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day. This would just be much earlier than I’d anticipated. But Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young.”
The memoir illustrates how the experience of undergoing the abortion profoundly affected Britney Spears. She writes, “To this day, it’s one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life.”
Following her separation from Justin Timberlake in 2002, Britney Spears embarked on a journey of motherhood, welcoming two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with her second husband, Kevin Federline.
Britney’s long-awaited memoir, published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, is her platform for sharing her personal story with the world. In an email interview with PEOPLE, she expressed, “It is finally time for me to raise my voice and speak out, and my fans deserve to hear it directly from me. No more conspiracy, no more lies — just me owning my past, present, and future.” Britney Spears’ candid storytelling has been met with empathy and support from her admirers.
