Culture

‘The Feed’ Has Stepped In To Help Bridget McKenzie Explain The Context Behind That Photo

I know it looks bad, but there's context okay?

by Sam Langford  18 February 2019
The Feed takes on Bridget McKenzie

Want more Junkee in your life? Sign up to our newsletter, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook so you always know where to find us.

A few days ago, a fairly offensive photo of Nationals MP Bridget McKenzie surfaced online. In it, McKenzie is standing in front of a banner reading National Obesity Summit, clutching her stomach and pulling a face that makes it look an awful lot like she’s mocking fat people.

According to McKenzie, though, the photo was simply a terrible coincidence. “The issue of obesity is a matter I take very seriously and would never triavisie [sic] it- or to add in any way to stigmatisation. I sincerely apologise for this very unfortunate photo taken as I demonstrated how my stomach felt after scrambled eggs reacted w yogurt I had just eaten,” she tweeted.

The tweet has since gone viral, due to its compelling and straightforward explanation.

One tweet wasn’t enough for McKenzie, though. The next day, she released another statement, apologising once again but continuing to admit no error. In fact, her second apology actually went a step further and argued that her photo had helped lead to progress of some kind.

“I again apologise for any offence taken by the unfortunate photo taken out of context at the Obesity Summit on Friday, and I am happy if my ridicule leads to action on the complex issue of obesity in this country,” she said, cementing herself as the people’s hero.

Naturally, the nation has spent today anxiously waiting for the third instalment of McKenzie’s constantly evolving “apology”. Unfortunately, no third instalment was forthcoming, but the good folks at The Feed have stepped in to imagine what it might have looked like.

They’ve even gone ahead to pre-emptively explain the context behind a few more unfortunate pics, just in case you went ahead and assumed something based on the image alone. It goes to show that context really does matter: Sometimes you’re standing at a Breast Cancer Awareness summit and both straps of your brassiere do just snap at once, forcing you to clutch your tits to your chest, mid-sneeze, right as press photos are being taken.

I mean, it’s much easier to visualise when you see it re-enacted. You can watch the full video below.