Tanis Jex-Blake, from Alberta, Canada, stepped into a bikini for the first time in 13 years last week and decided to enjoy some sunbaking while her children were playing on the beach.
But as Tanis relaxed on the sand, she said two guys and one girl pointed, laughed and pretended to kick her.
“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,” the 33-year-old wrote in the letter.
“I’m NOT sorry that my body has housed, grown, protected, birthed and nurtured FIVE fabulous, healthy, intelligent and wonderful human beings.
“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.
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“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,” Tanis said.
Her open letter, which was posted on her Facebook page on July 30, has garnered thousands of positive responses after it was shared more than 6,000 times.
Men and women around the world have congratulated the outspoken mother for sharing her story.
“I’m overwhelmed with support I’ve received over my Open Letter. Thank you to everyone near and far!” Tanis wrote on Twitter.
