American Idol contestant Sara Beth Liebe responded to pop star Katy Perry making fun of her for being a young mother earlier this month, saying it was “embarrassing” and “hurtful” to be “mom-shamed” on national television.
“At the start of my audition, before I sang, I mentioned that I had three children and was a young mother, and Katy Perry made a joke that wasn’t super kind,” Liebe explained in a TikTok video. “I don’t really have too much to say on my feelings about it, because I feel like it’s probably pretty self explanatory. I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV, and it was hurtful.”
@sarabethliebeWell. I didnt think id be making this video, but i just wanted to say a couple things since im being flooded with articles and comments/messages about this.
Liebe, who is a mother of three at the age of 25, went on to say, “I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool, and I think that mom-shaming is super lame.”
“It’s hard enough to be a mom, and it’s hard enough to be a woman,” the American Idol contestant added.
“And I also wanted to take this opportunity to say that I see all of the young moms and just moms in general who have commented on all of the videos and posts and everything, and I just wanted to say that I see you, and I hear you, and I am grateful for you,” Liebe said.
“Keep loving your babies, nobody deserves to feel crappy about that,” she added. “I think if you’re a good mamma and you love your babies, then that’s all that really matters.”
During an American Idol episode earlier this month, Perry appeared cold and dismissive to Liebe, who she insulted more than once before unenthusiastically voting in her favor.
“Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much,” Perry said after learning that Liebe has three children.
Perry, a 38-year-old woman who only has one child, was later called out for her snarky attitude toward Liebe, with many social media users calling the singer a “mean girl,” in reference to the 2004 film Mean Girls.
Watch Below:
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.