Kelly Clarkson Addresses Weight Criticism: ‘We Are Who We Are’

Kelly Clarkson has been criticized for her weight for as long as she can remember. Despite her recent success as a mentor on American Idol, having a baby, and getting married, it seems that the only thing people can focus on is the fact that she is not stick thin.

For months, British personality Katie Hopkins publicly harassed Clarkson about her size.

“What happened to Kelly Clarkson?” Hopkins tweeted, according to E! News. “Did she eat all of her backing singers? Happily I have wide-screen.”

“Look, chubsters,” she added a few days later. “Kelly Clarkson had a baby a year ago. That is no longer baby weight. That is carrot cake weight. Get over yourselves.”

Kelly didn’t let Hopkins’ comments phase her and responded to it the best way possible.

“That’s because she doesn’t know me,” she said. “I’m awesome! It doesn’t bother me. It’s a free world. Say what you will.”

During an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, April 3, Kelly addressed the weight criticism she has received since she became the first ever American Idol 13 years ago, according to People Magazine.

“I love how people think that’s new — like, ‘Welcome to the past 13 years,'” she told DeGeneres. “Yeah, I was the biggest girl on [American Idol], too. And I wasn’t big, but people would call me big because I was the biggest one on Idol, and I’ve kind of always gotten that.”

While Clarkson tries to ignore the negative comments, she confesses that it still hurts.

“Well, it hurts your feelings more if it’s someone else that you like. I think what hurts my feelings for people is that I’ll have a meet-and-greet after the show and a girl who’s, like, bigger than me will be in the meet-and-greet and be like, ‘Wow, if they think you’re big, I must be so fat to them.'”

Thankfully, Kelly is completely comfortable with her body and confident in who she is.

“It’s like, you’re just who you are. We are who we are. Whatever size, and it doesn’t mean that we’re gonna be that forever,” the “Heartbeat Song” singer said. “That’s the thing. Sometimes we’re more fit. Like especially me, I’m such a creative person that I yo-yo. So sometimes I’m more fit and I get into kickboxing hardcore. And then sometimes I don’t, and I’m like… I’d rather have wine.”

DeGeneres, who has had her fair share of criticism as well, agreed with Clarkson, saying, “I think that’s totally fine. As long as you’re happy and as long as you feel like you’re taking care of yourself and healthy. I want you to be able to have your wine!”

[Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images]