A few weeks ago I stumbled upon an article titled Stop Treating Beyonce Like An Idol.

As a huge fan, I clicked on the link only to be baffled by what I read within a few sentences. With all due respect to the Future First Lady writer— this article was nothing but a conglomeration of hateful bias.

To begin, the author wants to point out how when she thinks of Beyonce she thinks about:

1. Her songs about sex
2. Her songs about drinking
3. Her scandalous outfits
4. Her support for Obama

Which, of course, are all negative things in her conservative book.

She then continues to try to make the argument that Beyonce is not the feminist or empowering role model people make her out to be. Now, I understand the title of role model means different things for everyone. While I respect the right for the author to have her say, I simply cannot agree with her points.

So, I'm going to exercise my freedom of speech and start off my piece by telling you what I think of when Beyonce comes to mind.

1. I think about how beauty isn't a cookie cutter idea, but an amalgamation of body and mind.

All those times I struggled with self image, I found solace in seeing Beyonce--a beautiful, curvy, women of color on screen. She's one of the few celebrities who openly posts pictures of herself without any makeup on. Her confidence, feminity, and uumph regardless of her setting gave me the strength to know that different was ok; different was good.

2. I think about the millions of dollars she has spent supporting over 31 charities.

Despite the fact that the article attacks Beyonce on not being an icon of empowerment for women, I want to point out the fact that aside from being an actress, performer, wife, and mother-- Beyonce is also a devoted philanthropist. She has generously funded over thirty charities of which twenty three each serve a different purpose. She has worked tirelessly to help Katrina victims, fund music programs for underprivileged schools, provide meals for ANYONE who cannot afford to stay healthy, and even worked with cases of teenage pregnancy to keep the affected girls on the right path.

But, did she ask CEOs, hedge fund managers, socialites (people with an agenda) for money? NO, she relied on herself. Money SHE MADE with the job SHE EARNED.

I find her ability to be fiscallyindependent incredibly empowering. She has made a place for herself in this world and doesn't rely on another to complete her title.

Furthermore, her humility and compassion with working with all of these charities speaks volumes about her ability to juggle all her roles in life. One of which happens to be a grounded individual, who is just trying to do her part in bettering the world.

3. I think about motherhood and how it’s as important of a job as any other.

The world was jumping for joy when Beyonce announced her pregnancy. We patiently waited until one day news broke that Blue Ivy had arrived! Arguably one of the most famous infants in the 21st century, all eyes were on the new parents and the way Beyonce executed her role as a new mom was amazing. She took time off for baby blue, an astonishing three months, and was devoted to her new role. From the glimpse that the public got of the new budding family on Instagram, Beyonce made it evident that she was proud to take on her newest responsibility. In an interview with Anderson Cooper she spoke out on her love of every aspect of motherhood --

"I love changing diapers, I love it. I love every moment of it, it’s so beautiful. I love it all,”

It is unarguable that Beyonce is a jack of all trades, and her ability to be devoted to whatever responsibility she holds is admirable. She helped show women that being a mother is more than just a title-- it’s a duty, it’s a job. It can be done with elegance, class, and sophistication. While once it was thought that Beyonce only empowered her artistic audiences, she has now found a way to reach out to a new group--- Mothers. And by being an example of a phenomenal Mama she has helped many find their purpose.

4. I think about fashion and how art has no rules.

Beyonce is a fashion SUPERSTAR. She has made it very evident that she does not want to simply be the "hot poster girl"… she wants to be iconic. Her fashion choices, be they for concerts, galas, or even church are in Lamens term-- always ON FLEEK.

She dresses in a way that makes her happy and proud of her body. Those legs she wants to show off? She ran miles to get them. Those flawless arms she waves at concerts, she lifted weights on weights on weights to have them. Beyonce helps women realize that they should be proud of what they have been bestowed with and to maintain our "temples."

In refuting the point made in the Future First Lady's article she states:

"I refuse to idolize a woman who parades herself around half-naked (if not more), shaking what her mama gave her for the entire world."

.... UMM OKAY.

First of all we need to understand that Beyonce is an artist; therefore she wears costumes when she is performing. The tone that this article took implies that Beyonce is constantly sporting a risque wardrobe--- which simply isn't true. Like I previously mentioned, Beyonce has many roles-- performer is only one of them. If we take a look at her wardrobe choices from events like charities, fashion shows, interviews etc. they are appropriate for the atmosphere she is in. Furthermore, the way a woman dresses does NOT imply anything about her morals. As women-- as a society we should stand by Beyonce when she makes bold choices, women should have the same freedom of artistic expression as anyone else and if Beyonce finds her liberation through fashion, then why should we tear her down?

5. I think about civic duty and how far our great nation has come.

Regardless of what spectrum you find yourself on politically, Beyonce's civic activism is one that should be admired. A hundred years ago a woman-- not to mention of color would have no place in a political forum. But Beyonce has used her connections and spheres of influence to help bring forward issues that she finds important. Not to mention the fact that as a staple in teen pop culture, she has helped spread an awareness about the importance of voting. President Obama's second term was said to have been won due to youth voting. While we see a rise in education about the importance of civic duty, it is undeniable that the youth are influenced by their role models-- Beyonce being one of them. Beyonce's political allegiances were another victim of mockery by the future first ladies piece to which I will make a brief statement. Our great nation was founded on the principle that every citizen can have a say in it's government, so to bash someone's view, simply because they do not align with yours is not only rude-- but it's unpatriotic.

6. I think about how proud I am to be a woman.

Beyonce has timelessly shown how a woman can obtain and maintain control. In her latest album she released a single titled " FLAWLESS"-- which includes a segment from a Ted Talk by a well known feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adichie highlights some of the biggest flaws society has when dealing with women, but one of my favorite quotes is her closing piece on what she defines a feminist as--

"Feminist: the person who believes in the social, Political, and economic equality of the sexes."

KEYWORD: EQUALITY.

In a society that is so often overrun with either the mindset that women are inferior and will stay that way, or that women must be aggressive towards men to keep their place the idea of equality is often pushed to the side.
This is why I consider Beyonce to be the paragon of a role model for women in this generation. She has a husband. She has a child. She has a job. She has it all and so can you! In fact, Beyonce doesn't just preach her message to women, she encourages men of this generation to adopt a more understanding and respectful approach when working with women. Hostility has never lead to success. So why, don't we start realizing that we aren’t running a race against genders, but a race against ignorance.

To finish off, I would like to point out that Beyonce does have a loyal fan base, as does anyone who empowers people. Regardless of the pedestal she is put on by her fans, her actions have always stayed humble. For example, Kanye's 2009 VMA outburst lead to a lot of upset from Taylor Swift fans, and while Beyonce did not owe it to Taylor, she allowed Swift to come finish her speech when it came time for Beyonce to accept her award. This is called class-- this is called leading by example. This is called being a role model.

At the end of the day, my mama always told me to never judge a book by it's cover and for Beyonce to be judged solely by her music videos and album covers is a ludicrous thing. Artists are employees of an evolving field. No album of Beyonce's has ever been the same, she changes up her subject matter to what she finds influence from. Sometimes it’s a broken heart, sometimes it's fame, sometimes it's motherhood. But to bag on her for exclusively writing about sex and drinking is not fair. Beyonce spreads a message with her music-- which is that it's okay to be yourself. Love every part, even the parts that the rest of the world may not like.

For me, Beyonce is a role model because she gives her best. Whether its being a mom, performer, or just a woman, she gives it her all. And while I acknowledge the right people have to chose who their role models are i'll end by saying this-- if Beyonce isn't on your list....

Well, I guess she's the best thing you never had.