Lena Dunham Opens Up About Facing Cruel Body Shaming in Hollywood—At Every Size

Lena Dunham opens up about relentless body shaming in Hollywood, revealing she was criticized at every size.

Hollywood has always had a reputation for how things appear, but once again, Lena Dunham, the creator of Girls, is reminding us that body shaming in Hollywood knows no bounds, regardless of a star’s size.

Dunham opened up about the immense body shaming that has taken place throughout her career. From her initial rise to fame until now, the actress, writer, and director revealed that the comments and criticism of her body have never stopped, and, regardless of whether she was thin or heavy, there was always someone commenting on her body.

Lena Dunham achieved stardom as the creator, writer, and star of the HBO series Girls. The show was celebrated for both its gritty and honest storytelling and for introducing the bodies of real women on screen, a commodity that is in short supply in Hollywood.

But she seriously paid the piper for this honesty. She was praised for being brave, but she was also attacked online and through the media.

Lena’s physical appearance shifted periodically as a result of health, stress, and medication. Although she lost weight when sick and received compliment after compliment for looking “better,” for Dunham, the compliments seemed thinly veiled.

Then, when she gained weight once more, all the same people who had praised her before criticized her again. In the end, it became clear how unrealistic Hollywood’s beauty standards are, and being a woman in the limelight is a no-win situation.

Dunham has been more vocal these past few years about mental health, self-acceptance, and combating unrealistic beauty standards. She has grown in strength through what she has been through, and she hopes people can learn from her journey and feel less alone wherever they are on their journey.

Her message has hit home for a lot of women on social media, especially younger women, who are under increasing pressure to fit an image of beauty that is forced upon them through social media. She is being praised for her bravery to speak out once more, but this time, many are hopeful that the industry is finally listening.

The entertainment industry is beginning to recognize body inclusivity. The likes of Lizzo, Barbie Ferreira, and others have likewise utilized their platforms to advocate for body image and self-care. However, Lena Dunham reminds us that there is still a long way to go.

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