Clementine Ford to keep grant money after ‘deliberately divisive’ tweet

The firebrand feminist tweeted that more men should die from COVID-19, but a Greens councillor says a review of Ford’s grant program will ‘not be a Trojan horse for the censorship of artists’.

Writer Clementine Ford has “reconsidered her flippancy” after a tweet threatened her recent arts grant. Picture: Supplied

Writer Clementine Ford will not lose thousands of dollars in funding despite the firebrand feminist triggering a review into a grants program by tweeting “the coronavirus isn't killing men fast enough”, a councillor says.

Greens councillor for Melbourne City Council Rohan Leppert confirmed a review was underway into the selection processes of a funding program supporting Melbourne’s artistic community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp requested a review into the funding program on Monday, saying she found Ford’s comments “deliberately divisive and incredibly unhelpful”.

Mr Leppert, who chairs Melbourne City Council’s art portfolio, said Ford strongly met the funding criteria with the review unable to revoke the feminist writer’s grant.

“This review will not and cannot undo any grant decision made, but — like all reviews into our grants programs — it can consider whether the policy settings were ideal and were implemented well,” he tweeted on Monday.

“This will not be a Trojan horse for the censorship of artists or the arts.”

This review will not and cannot undo any grant decision made, but - like all reviews into our grants programs - it can consider whether the policy settings were ideal and were implemented well. This will not be a trojan horse for the censorship of artists or the arts.

— Rohan Leppert (@RohanLeppert) May 25, 2020

Mr Leppert said arts funding was often controversial but said it was “incumbent on politicians to uphold the integrity of the processes that are set up, knowing that they like others will disagree with some individual outcomes.”

A grant was awarded to the writer through an independent process some weeks ago as part of a program to support Melbourne’s local arts and cultural sectors during COVID-19.

I have asked the CEO to review the selection process for these grants. (3/3)

— Sally Capp (@SallyCapp_) May 24, 2020

In a tweet sent on Saturday, which appears to have been deleted, Ford said in an online conversation on the unpaid work performed by woman: “Honestly the coronavirus isn't killing men fast enough.”

On Sunday, Ford said she was sorry for anyone hurt by her words and had “reconsidered her flippancy”.

“Regardless of what people want to think about me, I have no wish to compound harm and grief for anyone, nor be dismissive of the very real impact and fear a crisis like this presents,” she said.

“But I also think it’s fair to be angry at the lack of interest in this crisis’ impact on women.”

Anyway, this acknowledgement isn’t for the men who are looking for any reason to ignore patriarchal impact but for the people genuinely hurt by my words. I’m sincerely sorry, and I wish I had framed my argument in better terms and in a way that didn’t compound harm. Be well 🤝

— Clementine Ford 🧟‍♀️ (@clementine_ford) May 24, 2020

On Monday, Ms Capp condemned Ford’s comments before announcing she had requested a review into the selection process that saw the writer receive a grant.

“I found these comments offensive and distasteful and I agree with the sentiment of outrage expressed by many members of our community,” Ms Capp said.