Poor Britney.

Before signing off of this topic, let's talk about one of the major roots of this problem of mine: Britney Spears. Although I try not to get wrapped up in Hollywood drama, this time I have no choice. For those of you who have been following her story (it's kind of difficult not to follow it if you watch television or read newpapers/ magazines), you probably know that once Britney met her beau, Kevin Federline, things seemed to go downhill for her. She let her physical appearance slide, began smoking, drinking heavily, and using drugs, and had a child. When her hubby left her, it seemed as though she had trouble dealing and began doing erratic things--including shaving her head.

When I first heard the news that Britney Spears shaved her head I couldn't help but let out a chuckle, simply because I find Hollywood so rediculous sometimes-- I often think some of these people will do absolutely anything for attention. Mike mentioned that he thought she was trivializing something serious which many women are forced into experiencing because of diseases like cancer. I really didn't consider it to be that serious, and didn't think much more of the comment. A few nights later I saw a clip of her on television, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Here is a girl who was thrust into stardom at a young age, had the whole world following her every move, and simply could not handle it. Many stars turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of coping, and it seemed as though she had fallen into the same trap. Poor Britney.

My opinions have since then changed. Because of Britney's idea to shave her head, my life and my battle with one of the many devastating aspects of this disease has been made one hundred times more difficult. Complete hairloss, as I have mentioned so many times before, can be extremely devastating to many people who undergo chemotherapy. In fact, it is usually one of the things women dread the most about chemotherapy. As a cancer patient, I have learned ways of using hairloss to my advantage and dealing with it as best I can. However, my attempts to deal with it have become trivialized because of what Britney Spears has done. Now I am left to deal with people screaming at me when I go to hockey games because they feel that I am trying to be like a star that many people believe to be a lunatic and a drug attict. I'm sure there are many other women out there who are being mocked because of this as well.

If Britney shaved her head for a purpose, as did Sinead O'Connor (for political reasons) or Natalie Portman (for a film) or others who have shaved their heads in order to donate their hair or for other reasons, then this would be much more acceptable. But she did this for attention, and in doing so she has drawn a great deal of negative attention to me and many other people who have been unwillingly thrust into complete hairloss from things beyond our control.

Although I do believe that people should do whatever it is that makes them happy, and although I normally would never pay attention to something that seems so petty, this issue has become very real and very serious for me.


What are your opinions about the Britney ordeal?