Lena Dunham Goes Public With College Date Rape Experience
Lena Dunham is opening up about a difficult chapter in her life. On the heels of her memoir’s release, the creator of Girls spoke to NPR about being sexually assaulted in college.
“It was a painful experience physically and emotionally and one I spent a long time trying to reconcile…. I actually [have] been thinking about it a lot this week because I sent an email to somebody who I had known at that time who knew the guy who had perpetrated the act… I wanted to make it clear to this old friend what I felt had happened before he potentially bought the book at Hudson News and read about it.
“I hated the idea of somebody finding out that information [independently of me telling them] because at the time that it happened, it wasn’t something I was able to be honest about. I was able to share pieces, but I used the lens of humor, which has always been my default-mode to try to talk around it.
“I said to this old friend in an email, ‘I spent so much time scared; I spent so much time ashamed. I don’t feel that way anymore and it’s not because of my job, it’s not because of my boyfriend, it’s not because of feminism, though all those things helped. It’s because I told the story. And I’m still here, and my identity hasn’t shifted in some way that I can’t repair. And I still feel like myself and I feel less alone.'”
More details about the date rape are shared in Lena’s new book, Not That Kind of Girl. Released Tuesday, the memoir has received mixed reviews.
The New York Times’ Michiko Kakutani called it “a book that’s as acute and heartfelt as it is funny.” The Guardian’s Jessica Valenti expressed disappointment with Not That Kind of Girl.
“In a memoir meant to be an advice book to young women, the writer-director’s trademark funny self-deprecation has the unfortunate side effect of nullifying the idea that she has something important to say… Avoiding the complicated emotions behind her humor may be a deliberate and self-protective move, but it sells her readers – be they fans or critics – well short.”
The release of Lena’s memoir has not been without controversy. On Monday, the 28-year-old reversed a decision to have book tour opening acts work without compensation.
As reported in The Inquisitr, over the summer Lena selected local artists to perform during her 11-city book tour. The caveat: They wouldn’t be paid. Following a critical article by Gawker, Lena changed her mind.
Some good points were raised and I’ve ensured that all opening acts will be compensated for their time, their labor and their talents.
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) September 29, 2014
[Image source: Twitter]
