Britney Spears slams Christina Aguilera for 'refusing to speak' on conservatorship: 'Yes I do matter!'

Britney Spears has some words for her longtime industry peer, Christina Aguilera.

On Friday, Nov. 20, the “Piece of Me” singer — who was recently released from a conservatorship, which Spears alleged was exploitive and abusive, after more than 13 years — took to her Instagram Story to share a clip of Aguilera at the Latin Grammys being asked about Spears’ legal situation. In the clip, Aguilera’s representative quickly shuts down the question, telling the reporter, “No, I’m sorry, we’re not doing that tonight.” The “Genie In a Bottle” artist says that she “can’t,” before adding, “But I’m so happy for her.”

(The Britney Spears question is asked at the :46 mark in video above)

On her Instagram Story, Spears wrote of the comment, “I love and adore everyone who supported me … but refusing to speak when you know the truth, is equivalent to a lie!!! 13 years being in a corrupt abusive system yet why is such a hard topic for people to talk about??? I’m the one who went through it!!! All the supporters who spoke up and supported me thank you … Yes I do matter!”

In a second post on her Instagram Story, Spears went on to thank Lady Gaga, who has long spoken out in support of Spears. She shared a clip of the House of Gucci actress calling Spears an “inspiration” for fighting for her freedom.

While Aguilera — who first got to know Spears when the two appeared together on The New Mickey Mouse Club as children, and later rose to fame as a pop star at the same time — declined to comment on the conservatorship in the interview Spears shared, she has previously supported the artist in the past. In June, following Spears’ emotional court testimony in which she spoke for the first time about wishing to end her conservatorship, Aguilera penned a series of tweets about Spears’ situation.

“These past few days I’ve been thinking about Britney and everything she is going through. It is unacceptable that any woman, or human, wanting to be in control of their own destiny might not be allowed to live life as they wish,” Aguilera wrote. “To be silenced, ignored, bullied or denied support by those ‘close’ to you is the most depleting, devastating and demeaning thing imaginable. The harmful mental and emotional damage this can take on a human spirit is nothing to be taken lightly.”

She concluded her comments with, “To a woman who has worked under conditions and pressure unimaginable to most, I promise you she deserves all of the freedom possible to live her happiest life. My heart goes out to Britney. She deserves all the TRUE love and support in the world.”