Kelly Clarkson: Your New Body Positive Role Model

If you're a fan of the singer, you already know about how Kelly Clarkson effortlessly shut down a British journalist who fat-shamed her. And really, even if you aren't a fan, you have to hand it to her for coming up with such a classy response at the drop of a hat. It would be easy to say the first mean thing that comes to mind, but Clarkson did not take the easy way out, and for that she is worth applauding. In fact, it's worth making her your new body-positivity role model, and here's why.

But first, here's a refresher of what went down: Katie Hopkins, a notorious celebrity body critic, said of Clarkson, "Jesus, what happened to Kelly Clarkson? Did she eat all of her backing singers? Happily I have wide-screen." To add insult to injury, Hopkins followed up by saying, "Look chubsters, Kelly Clarkson had a baby a year ago. That is no longer baby weight. That is carrot cake weight. Get over yourselves.” Ouch! But Clarkson, being the positive and confident woman she is, bounced back by saying in response, "Oh, and she’s tweeted something nasty about me? That’s because she doesn’t know me. I’m awesome! It doesn’t bother me. It’s a free world. Say what you will.”

Keep in mind, this is just the most recent example of Clarkson's healthy perspective on herself and her body image. So if you're not a fan of Clarkson, you should reconsider. Read on to see why.

She pays no mind to the haters

"It’s a free world. Say what you will," she said as part of her response to Hopkins' mean tweets. As illustrated by her brilliant reply, she doesn't even engage with those who try to bring her down for something as superficial as her size.

She knows her body better than anyone else

Back in 2009, Clarkson said, "My happy weight changes. Sometimes I eat more; sometimes I play more. I'll be different sizes all the time. When people talk about my weight, I'm like, 'You seem to have a problem with it; I don't.'" Whether she is toned or a little curvier, Clarkson seems to be in total control. As she should be!

She does not apologize for her weight

"I'm not willing to work really hard to be skinny. I have never put pressure on myself to lose weight, and I just rock with what I've got," she said in March 2015. What a refreshing attitude! Often times, women feel the need to say sorry for gaining weight. Clarkson, clearly is having none of that.

Even when smaller, she doesn't think that makes her "better"

“I do cardio. I run. I strength-train using my own body weight. I don’t like free weights, because I build muscle easily. Really, what I try to instill in my fans is to be healthy and happy. I have no desire to be super-skinny," Clarkson said to Redbook back in 2012. Clarkson's weight has fluctuated some over the years, but even in times when she looks a little slimmer, she makes it clear what really matters to her.

She knows health is more important than a number on the scale

"Counting how much weight you put on during pregnancy is the dumbest thing a woman could do. All I was concerned about was my health," she explained to British magazine Closer. Losing baby weight simply wasn't a top priority for her. And really, being a healthy mother is much more important than being a size 2 mother, am I right?

She does not let the number on the scale define her

"I've always been super confident in my talent and what I love to do. It's never really gotten me down," she told BBC of her weight. After all, there is way more to a person than how much they weigh. Such as, their career for example.

She was more concerned about losing her voice than losing weight

She may have had little concern about losing baby weight, but she was a wreck after temporarily losing something else — her voice. "Afterwards was the part where I literally had a moment where I cried and drank wine all day. I was like, 'Oh, God, I'm not going to be a singer anymore!'" she said.

But really, if that doesn't say it all, I don't know what does.

Images: Getty Images