Lidia Thorpe demands attention. Does this make her a warrior or a villain?

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Sheesh. Just as Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey had a stranglehold on whacky story of the week – they could legit be biological brothers via the same hitman dad! – up pops massive pest Lidia Thorpe. Again.

Thorpe’s latest trick is no mean feat: a life ban from Melbourne strip club Maxine’s for “outrageous” behaviour that dragged down the venue’s rep. Sorry, who gets blackballed from a strip club? Leave it to Lidia, for quarrelling with blokes on a footpath at 3am, sledging one as “marked” and another as having a “small penis”.

Senator Lidia Thorpe trades barbs with a group of men outside a strip club on Sunday.Credit: 7News

The men were just as happy to hurl insults at Thorpe, calling her a “racist dog”. Indeed, she suggested that it was these racist comments which provoked her tirade. One asked the question that is as hot button as the McConaughey and Harrelson paternity intrigue, but perhaps with inferior syntax: “How the f— does someone get in parliament like you?”

But for me, the real question is different. Lidia Thorpe: villain or warrior?

Is she fascinating, appalling or both? Is she advancing the cause of women by being strong, opinionated and never cowed, or bombing us back to the Stone Age by being a loose cannon? Discuss.

Comers from all political sides were happy to have a crack. Being the latest unedifying Thorpe stunt – think crawling draped in the First Nations flag after being tackled by Canberra police for disrupting an anti-trans protest, lying in front of a Sydney Mardi Gras float – it drew censure from many circles.

Lidia Thorpe is restrained by police after attempting to disrupt British anti-transgender rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull.Credit: AAP

PM Anthony Albanese sent backhanded thoughts and prayers: “I hope Lidia gets support. There are obvious issues that need to be dealt with in terms of her health.” Terrifyingly, Barnaby Joyce told Sunrise he’s started to “feel sorry” for Thorpe. Gotta hurt.

Thorpe seemed unbowed. Her health is none of Albanese’s business, she said. Is she right? Yes and no. The PM was on thin ice, chiming in when not remotely qualified to say how Thorpe is thinking or feeling. But given she draws a wage of $211,250 as a senator, how Thorpe does her job is part of our leader’s remit. For their investment, Australians want lawmakers who they hold in high esteem, whether they’re on or off the clock.

Where things get tricky in trying to work out if Thorpe is awesome or awful, is part of me admires who she is. In a world where huge phonies carefully craft brands and TikTok careers based on “authenticity”, Thorpe is the rarity who showcases herself warts and all.

She never self-censors. She fights her own fights. She pashes bikies. She used to hang out at strip clubs. She has a bold personality and confidence in what she believes.

Lidia Thorpe lying on the street and temporarily halting the Sydney Mardi Gras parade.Credit: Twitter: @AlexDay96

But her visuals are relentlessly terrible. Julie Bishop inspired a Barbie doll in her likeness by clip-clopping around the world with expensive hair, shoes and diction, and engaging in actual diplomacy.

Whereas Maxine’s manager put it, Thorpe is sloppy.

And that doesn’t play well with our judgemental, conservative, suburban standards where good women are decorous and polished. Thorpe refuses to go quietly.

So, I wonder if it’s the senator with the issue, or us. Whether her colleagues and the cheap seats critics would feel less inclined to condemn if she didn’t transgress against the politeness and predictability society says we should model for success.

Even Scott Morrison’s disastrous captain’s pick Kathryn Deves arguably has a better brand as she nominates for the late Jim Molan’s NSW senate vacancy.

Deves looks like a classic Suzy Homemaker with an organised plastics drawer, yet has beliefs widely disparaged as hateful. Beneath the pretty veneer, she may be more dangerous than Thorpe and her awesomely misjudged stomping rants.

Kate Halfpenny is founder of Bad Mother Media.

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