Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson

In a lengthy social media post, Justin Timberlake says he wants to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson “because I care about and respect these women and I know I failed.”

“I have seen the messages, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond. I deeply regret the moments in my life when my actions contributed to the problem, when I spoke out of turn or did not speak for what was correct. I understand that I I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism, ”he wrote on Friday.

Timberlake’s post on social media comes a week after the release of The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney, the FX and Hulu documentary that explores the circumstances that led to Spears’ tutelage in 2008 and highlights the #FreeBritney movement. of fans that I want to see her freed from him and given control of her life. The documentary aired an old interview in which Timberlake talked about sleeping with his ex-girlfriend and indicated that he ridiculed her by hiring a look-alike for his music video Cry Me a River.

Fans criticized Timberlake for contributing to Spears’ public meltdown and controlling the narrative about the end of their relationship.

Timberlake suffered further backlash when social media began to recall the locker room malfunction with Jackson that caused a national controversy at the 2004 Super Bowl. Some argued that Jackson, as a black woman, was the victim of racist and sexist double standards and he received harsher treatment than Timberlake, as a white man, and that he benefited from “white male privilege.”

And the NFL’s decision to invite Timberlake to perform at the halftime show three years ago sparked a backlash from women, minorities and others who felt that Jackson was unfairly forced to pay a much higher price than Timberlake. .

“I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and, more importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be a part of and grow in,” he wrote. “The industry has flaws. It prepares men, especially whites, for success. It is designed this way. As a man in a privileged position, I have to talk about this. Due to my ignorance, I did not recognize it all that was while it was happening in my own life, but I never want to benefit from others being taken down again. “

The #FreeBritney hashtag has been trending strongly in the last week, with celebrities endorsing Spears, including Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Bette Midler, and more.

Jackson was also a trending topic around Super Bowl 2018 and beyond, with the hashtags #JusticeforJanet and #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay on social media ahead of Timberlake’s third record trip to the stage at the Super Bowl.

“I have not been perfect navigating all of this throughout my career. I know this apology is a first step and does not absolve the past. I want to take responsibility for my own mistakes in all of this, as well as being part of a world that uplifts and supports, “Timberlake wrote. “I care deeply for the well-being of the people I love and have loved. I can do better and I will do better.”

– AP