Anyone who’s watched a season of “Girls” knows Lena Dunham likes to get naked. Frequently. The Jewish writer and actress is rarely shy about her body, so it was no surprise when she posted a selfie in lingerie on Instagram over the long weekend.
The photo has, of course, made national headlines–and UK newspaper Daily Mail even used it to write about Lena’s alleged weight loss.
You might be wondering–especially if you aren’t a big fan of Dunham’s–what the big deal is here. Why should we care what Dunham is wearing (or not wearing) in her Instagram photos? It doesn’t even matter, right?
Actually, it kind of does. As a celebrity who is frequently and unapologetically naked in the public eye, Dunham gets a lot–and I mean a LOT–of flak about her body. Critics and ignorant Internet trolls alike have torn the celeb apart over her chubbier physique, going as far as to argue that “Girls” is unrealistic, because someone who looks like Dunham could never sleep with as attractive men as her character does on the show.
NEWS FLASH: FAT WOMEN HAVE SEX. (I wrote all about the wonderful sex I have here.) They even have sex with attractive people (gasp!). And they wear lingerie, and they rock it just as well as their thinner counterparts, if perhaps in an altogether different way.
So, when Dunham posts a lingerie selfie, it isn’t just, y’know, brave because we all feel a little insecure in lacy g-strings and translucent bras. And it isn’t just brave because she’s a little bigger than your garden variety Victoria Secret model. It’s brave because all over the Internet, and in all corners of the media, there are people just waiting to make her feel bad about herself, and her body. And instead of letting that get her down and hiding herself like so many of us women (and men!) do every day, she continues to be herself, unapologetically and proudly.
That is bravery, and we could all learn something from her example. So major kudos to you, Lena darling.
