Lena Dunham Says Donald Trump Will Take Women Back Centuries
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
“Deal us in,” told the audience at the Democratic National Convention after asking whether they wanted the paid family leave, access to reproductive care and equal pay for equal work that Hillary Clinton had promised.
Together with fellow actress America Ferrera, Dunham gave a five-minute speech on why the two support Clinton as a candidate and think others should do the same.
“I am a pro-choice, feminist, sexual assault survivor with a chronic reproductive illness,” said Dunham, referencing having to take time off due to her endometriosis earlier in the year. “Donald Trump and his party think I should be punished for exercising my constitutional (reproductive) rights.”
Dunham, who sends out a weekly feminist newsletter called Lenny Letter, said that Trump would set women’s rights back to a time when women were meant to be “beautiful but silent.”
“[Clinton] knows we have to fight hatred of all kinds and not ignite it or the craven purpose of seeking power,” said Dunham.
The speech drew praise but also drew some criticism on social media. Some said Dunham, who has been accused of making feminist issues about herself, wasn’t the right person to make the speech.
DNC DRINKING GAME: each time Lena Dunham uses the word ‘empowering’ take a…oops my liver just exploded
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) July 27, 2016
Demi Lovato is now speaking at the convention as part of the DNC’s effort to attract the youth vote. Next up, Lena Dunham, then Charmander.
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) July 25, 2016
Contact Veronika Bondarenko at [email protected] or on Twitter, @veronikabond.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
