‘This Is An Open Letter’: Mother of Five Pens Viral Response to Group of Young People She Says Shamed Her Over Stretch Marks

A Canadian mother penned an open letter this week to a group of young people she says shamed her over the stretch marks left on her body after giving birth to five children.

Tanis Jex-Blake, 33, said was attempting to publicly sun bathe in a bikini for the first time in 13 years when two men and a woman hurled insults at her.

“All of a sudden I heard, ‘oh my god, look at that, that’s f***ing nasty, that’s disgusting, look how gross that is,'” she told Global News.

A Canadian woman's open letter to a group of young people she says body shamed her over stretch marks has gone viral. (Image source: Facebook/Tanis Jex-Blake)

The 33-year-old mother said she held her head high “unflinching” as the group mocked her, but later broke down in tears over the incident.

Afterward, she penned an open letter to the group, which has since gone viral.

This is an open letter to the 2 guys and 1 girl who decided to skip work today in Sherwood Park where they were building a house , but instead decided to come to Alberta Beach to relax in the sun, enjoy the water and some beers.

I'm sorry if my first attempt at sun tanning in a bikini in public in 13 years "grossed you out". I'm sorry that my stomach isn't flat and tight. I'm sorry that my belly is covered in stretch marks. I'm NOT sorry that my body has housed, grown, protected, birthed and nurtured FIVE fabulous, healthy, intelligent and wonderful human beings. I'm sorry if my 33 year old, 125 lb body offended you so much that you felt that pointing, laughing, and pretending to kick me. But I'll have you know that as I looked at your 'perfect' young bodies, I could only think to myself "what great and amazing feat has YOUR body done?". I'll also have you know that I held my head high, unflinching as you mocked me, pretending that what you said and did had no effect on me; but I cried in the car on the drive home. Thanks for ruining my day. It's people like you who make this world an ugly hateful place. I can't help but feel sorry for the women who will one day bear your children and become "gross" in your eyes as their bodies change during the miraculous process of pregnancy. I can only hope that one day you'll realize that my battle scars are something to be proud of, not ashamed of.

A radio station in her home city of Edmonton later posted the response on their Facebook page where it has amassed nearly 200,000 shares.

“Initially I posted it with the hopes of word reaching them…but now it’s gone so much further,” she told Global News.

Jex-Blake added that her husband is not the father of her kids and has only known her body the way it is now. She said he loves her body the way it is.

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