By MIA FREEDMAN
A few chapters into reading Lena Dunham‘s hugely hyped book, Not That Kind Of Girl during my recent holidays, I breathlessly texted the Mamamia team:
A debate quickly escalated via text and even though nobody else had read the book – just an excerpt – opinion was already divided. This is how it goes with Lena Dunham, and any other famous, out-spoken woman who pushes boundaries. But particularly Lena Dunham.
She’s polarising. And as someone who is also often described as polarising, I understand a fraction of how odd that can be and I empathise.
So I don’t want to make the mistake of projecting a bunch of stuff onto Lena Dunham’s book that has nothing to do with her. She is ground-breaking and amazing. She should not have to carry the burden of every hope and expectation of every woman and minority group in the Western world.
Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself and you’re probably lost and some of you may be wondering who Lena Dunham is. I’ll rewind.
Dunham is the 28 year old creator of the hit US series Girls, now in its 3rd season. She writes, produces, directs and stars in the show which is a comedy-drama hybrid (heavier on comedy) about the life of four friends in their twenties who live in New York and are trying to get their shit together.
This is a huge deal. For a young woman – hell, ANY WOMAN – to have that level of control and power in an industry that has always been run by men? Magnificent.