Antonella Gambotto-Burke calls Clementine Ford 'mullet Barbie' as the feud between the two writers erupts

Feminist author Clementine Ford is locked in an online war of words with an Italian-Australian writer who wrote a scathing review of her latest book.

Antonella Gambotto-Burke tore into Ford's recently released I Don't: The Case Against Marriage in a recent piece for The Weekend Australian.

Since then, the pair have traded barbs on Instagram, with Ford calling the reviewer “Gamblotto-nobody” and Gambotto-Burke calling Ford “mullet Barbie.”

Their posts included Ford mocking the freelance writer and musician's dance moves and Gambotto-Burke referring to her own partner's “huge c***.”

Gambotto-Burke wrote in her review of I Don't that Ford “displays a deep, persistent, and ugly anger toward men, which she justifies as an appropriate response to misogyny…”

“While there is no doubt that some of the points she makes in I Don't: The Case Against Marriage are correct, the level of disgust she expresses for men is beyond disturbing; it should be illegal.”

But Gambotto-Burke's criticism of I Don't was not limited to Ford's unfavorable opinions of most men and marriage.

She noted that Ford had recently condemned “Zionist women” as “enthusiastic supporters of a murderous regime that has been killing children for more than seventy years.”

Ford has frequently posted messages expressing support for the Palestinians as they face retaliation for the Hamas terrorist group's surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

After Gambotto-Burke received online abuse from some Ford fans, the British journalist and sometime singer-songwriter hit back.

“Don't agree with the openly man-hating Ford and she and her ideological minions are lining up to destroy you – and if they can't, they'll just publicly abuse you,” Gambotto-Burke wrote on Instagram.

On Wednesday, Ford suggested that her views on the Israel-Gaza conflict may have influenced Nova Entertainment's decision to cancel her “Dear Clementine” podcast.

An online petition calling on I Don't's publisher Allen & Unwin to cut ties with the former Nine columnist has attracted more than 2,700 signatures.

Gambotto-Burke's latest book is titled Apple: Sex, Drugs, Motherhood and the Recovery of the Feminine.

Ford has already written three previous works: Fight Like a Girl, Boys Will Be Boys and How We Love.

Gambotto-Burke described Ford in her review of I Don't as 'a strange, bleached aunt whose father ran for One Nation in Queensland'.

Her new polemic was “little more than a celebration” of Ford's divorce from her son's father, rather than a true study of marriage.

“Like all extremists, she is not only immature but also almost completely self-absorbed,” Gambotto-Burke wrote.

“While Ford enjoys sharing grotesque images of male violence, she consistently fails to present the big picture.”

Gambotto-Burke reminded readers of Ford's 2020 tweet, “Honestly, the coronavirus isn't killing men fast enough,” and quoted her signing a book in 2017 with the inscription, “Did you kill men today?” And if not, why not?'

“Imagine if the same comments were made about women,” Gambotto-Burke wrote. “Imagine how her son would feel if he read her words as a man.”

Gambotto-Burke went on to explain why she accepted her “muscular, heavily tattooed, martial artist and record producer” boyfriend's marriage proposal.

“I accepted it in part because he understands that Hamas is a terrorist organization,” she wrote.

An excerpt from that portion of the review was posted on social media by LGBTIQ activist Sally Rugg with the sarcastic comment: “Before I say yes, are you condemning Hamas?”

Ford posted Rugg's message on Instagram with the comment: '@sally_rugg you killed me!! Antonella Whatsherface is also 58 years old. Imagine living that long and still bragging about being a 'muscular, heavily tattooed martial artist, record producer.'

Gambotto-Burke responded to Ford as follows: '@clementine_ford I'm actually 354 years old and the truth is I just love his huge c***'.

'Out of curiosity, are you setting up the One Nation alternative? #mulletbarbie.”

Ford, 41, reposted those words with the response: 'I just heard Antonella “who?” Gamblotto-no one will write an article about me for The Australian tomorrow…'

“Anyway, here she is bragging about her boyfriend's huge cock like a normal person with healthy self-esteem.”

The feud has continued and Ford posted a clip of Gambotto-Burke singing and dancing with the caption: “And here she is in one of the most embarrassing things I've ever seen in my life.”

Gambotto-Burke responded again on Instagram: “All the hair bleach, pale pink lipstick and flatteringly blurry portraits in the universe will never hide your corrupted character, Ford.”

In one of Gambotto-Burke's latest posts, she states that publication of her feature story on Ford has been postponed. If and when it appears, expect more dueling insults.