On Tuesday, Tim Blair launched a poll to crown the “monarch of madness” in Australia’s “left-wing ladies auxillary”, and asked people to vote for Australia’s “craziest left-wing frightbat.”
Klementine reckons that, putting left and right wings aside, the writers, comedians and academics on Blair’s list are probably ‘frightbats' worth knowing. So let us introduce you to…
Clementine Ford @clementine_ford
Ford is a writer, broadcaster and ‘Feminist Killjoy to the Stars’ according to her tumblr. She is a columnist for Daily Life and writes about sexism, feminism and women’s rights, among other things. She’s also currently the leading frightbat in Blair’s poll.
An awesome round up of inspiring women
#Frightbats we love you
Elizabeth Farrelly @emfarrelly
Farrelly is a Sydney-based writer with a PhD in architecture. She is the Adjunct Associate-Professor of Architecture at the University of Sydney and has several international writing awards. She writes a weekly column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Marieke Hardy @mariekehardy
Hardy is a screenwriter, blogger, radio broadcaster and columnist. In 2011 she released You’ll Be Sorry When I’m Dead, a collection of essays. She is also the co-curator of Women of Letters.
Catherine Deveny @CatherineDeveny
Deveny, who was famously fired from The Age after tweeting “I do so hope Bindi Irwin gets laid” at the 2010 Logies, is a comedy writer and stand up comedian. Deveny now writes for the Guardian. If you feel like a chuckle, read this interview.
Vanessa Badham @vanbadham
Badham is a writer and social commentator, and a columnist for The Guardian. Badham is an award-winning writer of plays for stage and radio. She is currently selling ‘frightbat’ t-shirts through this online store.
Margo Kingston @margokingston1
Kingston is a journalist, author and commentator. In 2013 Kingston launched No Fibs, a website for citizen journalism. Her Twitter bio currently reads, “Recovered journalist uncovered in 2013, second to in 2014 Quest for Twitter Queen.”
Anne Summers @SummersAnne
Summers is a writer, columnist, editor and publisher. She has a PhD, is an Officer of the Order of Australia, a Walkley Award-winning journalist, and has authored seven books. She is a former editor of Ms. magazine and is now editor of the free digital magazine Anne Summers Reports.
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Clem Bastow @clembastow
Bastow is a Melbourne based writer and critic. She writes for Daily Life, The Saturday Paper and The Vine.
Jenna Price @JennaPrice
Price is a journalist, Canberra Times columnist and Destroy the Joint convener. Read her response to the frightbat poll here.
Jane Caro @JaneCaro
Caro is a writer, social commentator and lecturer and award winning advertising writer. She has published five books, writes a regular column in Mt Magazine and contributes regularly to The SMH, The Drum, The Conversation, Mamamia, The Hoopla and New Matilda.
While “only one can stand above all others, wailing and howling, while the rest look on and ask: ‘Where’s the Ritalin?’ In the search for this nation’s most unhinged hysteric,” as Clementine Ford has pointed out, we think it’s just an honour to be nominated.
What do you think of the Frightbats poll? Let us know in the comments below!