The Spears Women: How Do They Find Men with No Shame?

Boy have times changed. It seems that there is an evolving trend of men attempting to make money off their progeny with well known stars. Gone are the days when only women were notorious for "setting up" well known celebrities by becoming pregnant and in essence, assuring a paycheck for themselves for the next 18 to 21 years. I guess this truly is a sign of the growing financial equality between men and women.

When Britney Spears became involved with Kevin Federline, it almost seemed like a punch line. At the time, Britney Spears was on top of the world and was making a fortune as a pop princess. While she made many successful career choices, it seemed that her personal life was on a downward spiral. Initially she dated Justin Timberlake, who was not only her emotional and aesthetic equal, but he was her business equal also. Together they were a force to be reckoned with but, as most relationships do, the pair ended and the romantic choices Britney made afterwards were less than dazzling.

Back up dancers, childhood friends and various other assorted characters came in and out of Britney's life and when the musical chairs ended, Kevin Federline and Britney Spears were married. Immediately after the nuptials came two sons, and before we knew it the couple was in the middle of divorce. After that, a well publicized custody battle and after Britney's breakdown, Kevin came out sparkling on the other side, collecting a tidy sum to be the guardian of his children with Britney after she was deemed unfit. While Britney may have had her own personal demons, it seems like Kevin may have had his own personal agenda at hand long before any other drama came into the picture. Just consider that before being Mr. Spears, Kevin was a back up dancer earning money per diem. Now he can afford to rent houses for $50,000/month and be flown around the world with his new girlfriend in tow for the sake of "keeping an eye on his children." Not a bad career move.

Now it seems Jamie-Lynn Spears, Britney's younger sister finds herself in a similar quagmire. Casey Aldridge, the father of her daughter Maddie, is in the process of suing Jamie-Lynn for custody rights. Jamie-Lynn and Casey were never married, they were engaged and residing in Mississippi. Recently the pair ended their relationship and that's when the fireworks began. It is rumored that Casey is being advised by his parents to use the fact that Jamie-Lynn is younger, all of 19 years old and she wants to move back to Los Angeles from Mississippi to resume her acting career as grounds that she doesn't have Maddie's best interest at heart. There is a universal sentiment that Casey is not interested in being a father figure, but he knows that if he has physical custody of Maddie, he will get a hefty monthly paycheck-the same as Britney's ex Kevin Federline. This will allow him to live a life of leisure.

By no means are the stories of the Spears girls unique-men have been placed through the same ringer since the beginning of time. However, in this evolving climate where women posses equal, if not more economic power than men its interesting to see scenarios like this play out. Maybe in this day and age men are less embarrassed to admit they are living off their woman. Ask Kevin Federline.