Today’s society is focused on perfection—especially when it comes to our bodies. And of course celebrities are not immune to constant criticism of their looks. But body shaming has not and never will be okay; life is too short to focus on being perfect. It seems like Twitter trolls still haven't gotten that memo, though.
Our favorite American Idol star, Kelly Clarkson, was recently slammed for her appearance. On July 4, Kelly shared her appreciation for veterans on Twitter…
Thank u 2 every person in service 4 protecting all of us and cheers to every person who fought for us to experience freedom & independence
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) July 5, 2017
…only to be called "fat" by some coward hiding behind a computer. Luckily the superstar fought back and responded with some sass of her own. She was not taking sly comments from anyone. After the troll tweeted, "You're fat," Kelly responded, "....and still fucking awesome."
....and still fucking awesome https://t.co/LvFgIITaTX
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) July 5, 2017
Being a plus-sized singer, this is not the first time Kelly has received hate about her body. In 2015, FOX anchor Chris Wallace said she should lay off the deep-dish pizza—as if it's any of his business. The same year, after being shamed for “carrot cake weight,” Kelly responded by taking the high road, with USA Today calling her “classy Clarkson.”
"I don't obsess about my weight, which is probably one of the reasons why other people have such a problem with it…I've just never cared what people think. It's more if I'm happy and I'm confident and feeling good," Kelly previously told Redbook.
She also told Ellen DeGeneres, "I yo-yo. Sometimes I'm more fit and I get into kickboxing and hardcore, and then sometimes I don't and go, 'Nope, I'd rather have wine!'"
Kelly’s fans responded with glee when she put her most recent hater in his place. According to CNN, one fan tweeted her support, saying, "Haters need to get a life." I couldn’t agree more. Kelly doesn't deserve that hate, especially while paying respect to American soldiers on Independence Day. Why does her body shape matter? She’s a versatile singer-songwriter, philanthropist, author of children’s books, actress, mother, wife and, most importantly, a person.
No person deserves to be stigmatized, especially for how they look. We can stop body shaming together by changing the way we look at and treat each other. Tell somebody that they’re beautiful just because they are. The more positive words we speak, the less toxic our society will become. And if someone’s standing in your way? Follow Kelly Clarkson's lead and put them in their place.