Last week, Jamie Lynn Spears posted on Instagram that she had finished her book, Things I Should Have Said, and would be donating a portion of the book’s proceeds to a mental health nonprofit organization, This Is My Brave.
Unfortunately, This Is My Brave has decided not to accept any donations from Spears due to backlash from fans and supporters of Britney Spears.
According to E! News, Britney has felt abandoned by her sister for a very long time. Britney allegedly feels as if Jamie Lynn deserted her in her time of need. Britney has made it clear that she has no family support, including from her sister.
After Jamie Lynn Spears announced her book, Britney posted on her own Instagram page, appearing to mock the younger Spears.
In a photo caption, she wrote, “Psssssss also great news … I’m thinking of releasing a book next year but I’m having issues coming up with a title so maybe my fans could help !!!! Option #1 … ‘S**t, I really don’t know’ Option #2 … ‘I really care what people think.'”
Between public backlash and the post from Britney Spears herself, it appears that This Is My Brave decided to take matters into their own hands and make their own Instagram post to separate themselves from Things I Should Have Said.
Despite the backlash, some fans are still interested in what content will be in Jamie Lynn Spears’ book, while others are more focused on what it is exactly that This Is My Brave does.
What is Things I Should Have Said about?
Jamie Lynn Spears’s Things I Should Have Said is a novel documenting her own struggle with mental health issues. She announced the completion of the book on her Instagram account on October 11.
The photo included what appears to be the cover of the book and a heartfelt description of Spears’ journey writing the novel.
Although there has been a lot of backlash from her announcement, she does have quite a bit of support in her comments as well. However, it is worth noting that comments on the post have been limited.
Jamie Lynn Spears seems to have always had a very emotional connection with her daughter Maddie, but in 2017, Maddie was in an ATV accident that could have been fatal.
Aside from the turmoil of her daughter’s accident, Spears announced later that same month that she was expected her second child.
According to US Magazine, Jamie Lynn Spears said that year was “filled with some of the biggest challenges of my life.”
Although her intentions of sharing her book proceeds with This Is My Brave have been rejected, the star has not released a statement regarding the nonprofit organization at this time.
A look at This Is My Brave
What began as one mother’s blog as she navigated her life with mental illness eventually became an event for many people to share their own stories about living with mental illness- through an array of performance arts.
According to the This Is My Brave website, Jennifer Marshall wrote an anonymous blog for 18 months titled Bipolar Mom Life. During her time writing anonymously, she gained support and community through her online platform.
When she found her first paid writing job, she stopped writing anonymously. It didn’t take long for AOL to pick up on her story, and about six months later, Marshall had the idea for her theater show.
The idea was to create a storytelling show where community members could tell their stories of navigating mental illness and help end the stigma behind the condition.
After its debut in 2014, This Is My Brave has produced over 75 shows and featured almost 875 storytellers. In May 2021, they held their first National Teen Show.
Although it may sound scary for some to be so open about mental health, This Is My Brave brings a unique perspective to performance arts, as their website reads, “Storytelling saves lives.”