'I was going to get fired if I didn't lose a certain amount of weight'

I knew there was a reason that I liked Jennifer Lawrence. Not only has the young actress distinguished herself as a natural talent in films, but she also stands out as a young woman with a keen intellect and a strong sense of self.

In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, the 23-year-old star of The Hunger Games revealed that the industry perceives her as "fat".

If you're not sufficiently outraged by that tidbit, then you haven't seen Jennifer Lawrence who possesses the kind of figure most women can only dream of.

According to Radaronline.com, the actress told Harper's that these industry insiders didn't keep their offensive thoughts to themselves either.

"Somebody told me I was fat," she shares with the magazine, "that I was going to get fired if I didn't lose a certain amount of weight."

Not only did this individual tell the young woman that she was fat, they went a step further and offered what they perceived as evidence.

"They brought in pictures of me where I was basically naked, and told me to use them as motivation for my diet. They thought that because of the way my career had gone, it wouldn't still hurt me," says Lawrence.

The good news: Lawrence didn't take the bait. Instead of accepting the insult as fact and/or developing an eating disorder in order to achieve the skeletal appearance that passes for 'thin' in pop culture, she told them to take a hike.

It's a rare move for a young woman — starlet or not — to have the self confidence to assert herself when it comes to her appearance. Frankly, it's rare for a woman twice Lawrence's age to do that. I'm in my 30s and I can admit that I don't think I'd have her moxie under similar circumstances.

But here's hoping that she inspires more females to challenge those who would make them feel fat and to take ownership of their appearance. The world can only benefit from that kind of ripple effect.

Tell us what you think about execs telling Lawrence she's fat in the comment section below.