
We exist in a cultural moment where there are few things we can all agree on.
But surely the ethics of taking photographs inside a young person's funeral, when the family have asked for privacy, is one of them.
On Monday last week, 33-year-old Jaimi Kenny, the daughter of former Olympians Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny, died in hospital.
Kenny, 57, released a statement confirming that Jaimi had "lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family".
He said their hearts were broken and the pain was immense, before adding, "It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy".
And then on Saturday, an Australian media company made the decision to publish no less than eight images from the young woman's funeral.
While I haven't sought out those images - taken of grieving relatives without their consent - commentary on Twitter gave me a pretty clear sense of what they captured.
At least one picture is said to feature Jaimi's casket, while others show the pained expression on her mother's face.
We know the six men who carried her coffin from the small chapel, because a photograph was taken without their knowledge.
It's unclear who took the photographs. It is conceivable that a passer-by took them on a phone, before selling them, likely for decent money, to this particular publication. Otherwise, a paparazzo waited outside the funeral on purpose, injecting themselves into a scene where they didn't belong.
Restrictions in Queensland right now mean that a maximum of 100 people can attend a funeral. While people who knew Jaimi might not have been legally able to attend, someone who never met her hovered just metres from her casket. That person disregarded the blatant request by Kenny only days earlier to allow a family to grieve in private, and delivered images of people at their most vulnerable to the tabloids.
When tragedy finds its way into people's lives, there is little we on the outside can do. We cannot bring a person back from the dead. It is impossible to find the right words. The one thing any of us can do is what the aggrieved ask for. Even if that means suspending our curiosity for a moment and instead extending a modicum of respect.
Top Comments