An Open Letter to Christina Briggs

I would like to take a step back for a minute from what I typically post about on here. Lately I've been getting a lot of negative feedback from what I've been sharing on my Facebook page. I believe most of it started when I posted about Christina Briggs, the woman who came out in public saying she needs more government support if she's to lose weight and eat healthy. 


I want to be very clear about something.

I shared the picture of Christina from ANOTHER FACEBOOK PAGE. Their post said "I SPOTTED THIS STORY EARLIER TODAY.

"An obese mother-of-two who lives on benefits says she needs more of taxpayers' money to overhaul her unhealthy lifestyle.
Christina Briggs, 26, says she hates being 160 kilos but she can't do anything about it because she can only afford junk food. Meanwhile, exercise is out of the question because she doesn't have the funds to join a gym."

Does she have a fair point OR is she not taking responsibility?"

But for some reason from some computers it looked like I said the above. I didn't. All I said was, "I'm sure you all have thoughts... I'd love to hear them." Later, for some of the comments, I regretted saying I would love to hear them.... I didn't. Some of them were insightful and kind but some of them were rude, some of them were nasty, and some of them were out right awful. I was blown away. (I know I shouldn't expect anything better from the internet, right?) And I deleted about a third of them. I just couldn't stomach them being on my page!

This was me a couple months ago you guys! Remember? IF YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE PUBLICLY MOCKED for a choice you've made, to be made fun of, to be berated, to be called disgusting, a horrible mother, a person who doesn't deserve to live, and other nasty things, you obviously haven't followed my blog for very long. Remember the whole "no hair-washing" thing? I haven't forgotten. So if anyone thinks I shared that picture of Christina Briggs because I wanted to see her dragged through the mud, you obviously don't know me very well. 

So, why did I share that post?

I didn't share that post to mock a mother. I'm a mother, too. I didn't share that post to make fun of someone on welfare. I've been on welfare, too. I didn't share that post to FAT SHAME. I'm heavier than I'd like to be, too. 

I shared Christina Briggs' story because I think she makes some valid points. What I was hoping would come out of my sharing that story was the fact that:

• Obesity and poverty are inextricably linked in our "modern" Western society.
• Healthy food IS expensive, especially if you don't know how to cook from scratch
• Most people don't know how to cook from scratch 
• Most kids won't eat home cooked meals if what they are used to is fast food 

Try and put yourself in Christina Brigg's shoes. As she explained in her original written and television interviews, she's been bullied her whole life because of her weight. She got pregnant from a one night stand and dropped out of high school. She has a young daughter with ADHD and liver problems, and a young son. She is a single stay-at-home mom. She's says she can't work because she needs to stay at home with her kids. And even if she felt like she could leave to work, it's quite likely she would have a hard time finding a job because of weight discrimination. 

And she's not alone. 

There are so many other families with similar stories. So many families that want to be healthier but don't know where to start. I want to take a minute to look at a few of the factors that might be going in to someone's thoughts like Christina Briggs. I'm not claiming I understand where she's coming from, but I am trying to put myself in her shoes. 

The Influence of Media

Have you read any celebrity magazines lately? Even seen any covers while at the check out stand at a grocery store? Watched any television commercials? 

If that was your main source of knowledge about what was "healthy" wouldn't you think you needed to buy more expensive "organic" pre-packaged products and go to the gym? That's what all those people in those magazines and TV commercials do. I'm not saying that this is exactly the case for Christina Briggs, but come on, people. She's not crazy. Heck, back when I watched TV I felt I needed a gym membership, too! 

Grocery Stores in Low-Income Neighborhoods

If she's on welfare, I'm guessing that she doesn't live in a wealthy neighborhood. In fact, it's not unlikely that she lives in an poor neighborhood. When was the last time you tried to go grocery shopping in a poor neighborhood? Have you looked at their selection of foods? Have you seen their produce aisle? Give me a break, those of you who suggested she shop at Whole Foods! When was the last time you saw a Whole Foods in a poor neighborhood? 

Recreation in a Low-Income Neighborhood

And while were on the subject, when was the last time you tried to take a walk in a poor neighborhood? Did you feel safe? Did you see many beautiful parks? Many play structures? Many trees even? 

This is the plight of low-income folks in our "developed", "modern", "Western"- whatever you want to call it- world. They are subjected to a bombardment of media telling them what to eat, think, wear, and do combined with little or no access to healthy food and little to no way to enjoy being outside to exercise, not to mention the fact that somehow you always find Fast Food chains in poorer neighborhoods...  

I'm not making this up. Low-Income and Food Insecure People are Vulnerable to Obesity for a lot of different reasons. 

I'm not saying that she Christina Briggs, or others like her, don't have options, I'm just acknowledging that fact that it has to be really, really difficult. Not just for her, but for so many people in her situation.

And while were on the subject of solutions... 

Who Knows How to Cook Anymore?

I loved those of you who in the comment thread to the picture of her I shared talked about her needing to learn how to cook. That's wonderful! I fully agree. But let's think about that realistically, too. Who knows how to cook anymore? And to cook from scratch? It's not a skill that's passed down from generation to generation anymore. Chances are quite high that she doesn't know how to cook considering that most people don't. So if your view of "healthy" food means buying the organic TV dinner instead of the conventional, of course your going to think healthy food is more expensive. 

Who Wants to Eat Home Cooked Meals Anymore?

And than to top it all off, even if she did learn to cook, and even if SHE enjoyed her own food, children who have been raised with MSG-laden foods and takeouts will quite likely find home-cooking boring, bland or even gross. And any mother who has spent a long time in the kitchen preparing a meal only to have your toddler spit it out, knows how frustrating and discouraging it feels!

Now, all that to say, I THINK I UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT WHERE SHE'S COMING FROM. This has got to be hard. And it's going to be hard. So, so, so unbelievably hard. 

I hope that makes a little more sense of where I was coming from when I shared the post about Christina Briggs. Needless to say, I've been thinking about her a lot. And thinking about what I would say to her if I could get a hold of her or if I met her some day. So I thought I would just write her a letter. Because somehow, possibly in the crazy, insane, fast-paced, mulit-headed monster-way the internet world works... she'll see it. 

Dear Christina Briggs,   

I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what you're probably having to deal with right now with your face being plastered all over the internet. I wanted to tell you that in some small way I understand what it feels like. And it feels awful.  

But, I also know that you are stronger than that. With your awesome orange hair, and your fierce momma gaze, I know you're a fighter. And I know you'll forget about all the mean things people are saying. 

So let's get past that and talk about what you said. What you want. What you need. You said you need help. You said you don't know how to eat healthy with the money you have. You said you don't know how to afford swimming or a gym membership with still being able to enjoy the foods you normally like.  

Let me tell you something straight. I don't think the government will be giving you anymore money. I just don't think that's going to happen. But, Christina, everything you want CAN happen. You can get healthy. You can eat healthy food. You can lose weight. You can get a prize for losing weight. But, the change needs to come from YOU. Not me, not your neighbors, not your family, not your case worker, from YOU. 

I'm not going to lie. It's going to be a lot of work. But, it's 100% possible. One of the most important thing about learning to be healthy, is learning to listen to your own body. And Christina, nobody can teach you that. And no amount of money handed to you can teach you that. 

If you were my friend, and we sat across the table together drinking tea, I would hand you this book. I would tell you to read it and than we can talk about it. And then when you'd finished reading it I would tell you to check out the Weston A. Price website and just read about what they have to say

And then, Christina, I would teach you how to cook. Not using a microwave. Not things that come in packages. Real food from real, simple ingredients. Simple recipes that are easy to make. Maybe you won't like the way it tastes at first, maybe your kids will hate it. It's quite possible. When we eat packaged food regularly, our tastebuds adjust. But guess what? They adjust back. Once you eat real food-- food that's not packaged-- the packaged food will taste like what it really is: food-like products not even fit for compost. 

And then, Christina, once you'd fallen in love with cooking, I would teach you how to garden. And your kids would join in, too! Kids love watching the magic of seeds sprouting, and seeing their own labor produce delicious things like cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots. It's a magical world, gardening. 

But, Christina, as much as I can dream, I'm not your friend. I am your supporter, I am one of your champions, I am one of your cheerleaders, but I don't live anywhere near you. And I won't be traveling anywhere near you anytime soon. As much as I would like to.

So Christina, since I can't be there to make these things happen, I hope that you make these things happen. If you can take care of two kids on your own, you can make anything happen! So, please, for your health, for your kids' health, make it happen. I know you can do it. 

Your Friend,

Jacquelyn of LittleOwlCrunchyMomma