In 2007, Britney Spears had a very public mental breakdown. This led to a conservatorship being imposed, which she claimed took control of everything from her ability to have children to her multi million dollar estate. While the case has received huge global media attention, this kind of control of women “for the sake of their sanity” is anything but new. In this episode we go right back to the Victorian era to show how women’s mental health has been used as a way to control them for centuries.

Welcome to You Haven’t Heard the Half of It, where we uncover the hidden half of history. Each episode, Esther Freeman and Simon Cole tell stories, which disrupt accepted versions of the past. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast to you don’t miss and episode.

For further reading on women and mental health, check out The Female Malady by Elaine Showalter

To learn more about Britney Spears and her conservatorship, listen to Pieces of Britney from BBC Sounds.

Discover more about Esther and her work at Women Activists of East London.

Discover more about Simon and his work at Hackney Tours

Music from Purple Planet

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