7 Reasons Lena Dunham Is This Generation's Oprah
Seriously, what hasn't she done?
Lena Dunham is the voice of her generation.
Or at least her onscreen "Girls" character Hannah Horvath seems to believe she is. Regardless, Lena Dunham has been and continues to be one of the strongest feminist, creative, and powerful voices of our time. She's one of the hardest working people in entertainment today, a writer, director, producer and actor, Dunham may not be the most popular but she continues to be incredibly influential.
At just 30 years-old Dunham has made a name for herself in almost every aspect of the entertainment industry, and this sets her on the cusp of an Oprah-level caliber. Whether you're unfamiliar with her fame, or a big fan with "Not That Kind Of Girl" sitting on your nightstand, check out the seven reasons why Lena Dunham is the voice we never knew we all needed to hear.
1. She recently released parts of her teenage diary and turned it into a book.
On May 17 Lena Dunham did something most of us only dream about (and by dream I mean nightmare.) She released "Is It Evil Not To Be Sure?", a collection of diary entries written by her 19-year old self.
The book had a limited release of 2,000 copies for $25 a pop, but perhaps the best part of Lena's literary surprise was the mission behind the money the book brought in.
All proceeds from "Is It Evil Not To Be Sure?" went to Girls Write Now, a New York program devoted to mentoring young girls in writing.
Lena Dunham told Girls Write Now why she believes girls should be empowered to write.
"It's so important that young women are told this is a valid form of expression, that their voices are worth celebrating and that they have within them the tools to create a new narrative. Girls Write Now is a gift not just to the young women it serves but to the rest of us who will become their devoted readers," Dunham said.
2. Lena's first book of essays "Not That Kind Of Girl" proved she is a talented writer with substantial things to say and a following of people who want to listen.
"Not That Kind Of Girl" is Lena's first book, and it took the literary world by storm. Sometimes for controversy, most often for praise, this New York Times Bestselling book included topics Dunham personally experienced from rape to mental illness to eating disorders.
3. Lena and her best friend Jenni Konner created the "Lenny Letter," a bi-weekly digital newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.
Sure, you and your best friend may have polished off an extra large deep dish pizza and two bottles of wine in one sitting, (which yes, is very impressive) but Lena and her longtime BFF Jenni Konner created the Webby award winning newsletter Lenny, which is also incredibly impressive.
With the mission of, "dismantling the patriarchy, one newsletter at a time," the Lenny Letter serves to educate and empower on various topics such as health, work, and politics while lending itself to the strong feminist voice our generation continues to need to hear.
From author Melissa Broader to everyone's favorite Kardashian, the Lenny Letter has acquired a unique set of contributors as well as a growing fan base.
In the less than six moths since it's release, the Lenny Letter has acquired over 400,000 subscribers and an ad partnership with Hearst.
According to Lenny Editor-In-Chief Jessica Grose the idea for the publication came from Lena's desire to inspire women outside of her television show. "When Lena was on her book tour, she met so many incredible young women who were engaged, passionate, and political, and she wanted a way to continue to speak to them more directly," Grose said.
Lenny continues to grow in leadership and loyalty, gaining attention and subscribers with each and every letter.
4. She regularly promotes and exemplifies the importance of body positivity.
Anyone from Howard Stern to Donald Trump has body-shamed Lena Dunham, but this has not stopped her from spreading a message of body positivity.
She often tweets and posts Instagrams acknowledging the unrealistic standards of society, how she herself does not adhere to those standards, but how she is still able to find happiness within herself regardless.
5. Lena created, writes for and directs the HBO hit series "Girls."
Four 20-something's living in New York has never been so witty, so well-scripted, and so addicting to watch. "Girls" encapsulates the talent of Dunham who produces, directs, writes for and acts in the show.
Her character Hannah Horvath is someone viewers love to hate and hate to admit when they relate so damn hard to the struggles of life, love, friendship and attaining professional goals all at the same time.
6. She's a staunch advocate for removing the stigma that surrounds mental illness.
Diagnosed with OCD at age 9, Dunham is not one to shy away from not only speaking about mental illness, but also fighting to shut down the stereotypes and stigmas associated with it.
7. She uses her status as a public figure to shed light on women's issues.
In 2014 Lena Dunham and Planned Parenthood Action Fund collaborated in hopes of encouraging women to vote before the Nov. 4 midterm elections, and they recruited a slew of inspiring ladies to help to do so.
Among Dunham's other feminist feats Dunham wrote a truly inspired Lenny Letter on why she stands with Kesha. "What's happening to Kesha highlights the way that the American legal system continues to hurt women by failing to protect them from the men they identify as their abusers," Dunham wrote.
The only thing Lena needs now is her own talkshow.
We're thinking it would be as insightful as Oprah, and as fun as Ellen (with just as much dancing.)
Lena Dunham is a truly inspired individual who continues to use her art to advocate for the underdog, i.e. those struggling with mental illness, those who've experience sexual abuse, those who seek mentorship in the form of a literary role model, and all women; always and everywhere.
She makes moves, bold and brazen, and we are watching and waiting to see where she'll take her next steps on her path to becoming queen of this generation's universe.