In thinking that the comments on any article about Lena Dunham are always unfailingly misogynistic?

[pandarific]

Exhibit A.

I mean good grief. Of course you should never read the bottom half of the internet, but the venom of these comments - and every article I've ever read about her - boggles me. And at base the comments always boil down to 'shut up'.

I think I might have hit upon what she's done wrong...

1. Being a young female
2. Who has become very successful
3. Early in life
4. Yet has failed to be 'likeable'
5. And does not fall within the parameters currently considered to = beautiful
6. Yet still takes up space in the world

Please tell me I'm not crazy, mumsnet, it IS disproportionate hatred, isn't it? The tide of venom is just so bloody depressing.

I agree with you.

I think she's likeable. She'd fit right in with my friends.

As I say to Dd- not everybody has to like each other but we all have to be tolerant of one another

If you're over the age of 10 and you can't adhere to that then you're a piece of shit in my book

I don't know who she is
an actress?

Yep, agree totally .

And though I hate to comment on looks I always to say on these hate forums that she looks very beautiful and very interesting to me.

Non conventional beauty usually gets an easier ride (Streisand/Streep) but I think the haters hate her because she really properly acts like she doesn't give a fuck and will wear bikinis without like the women above trying to fit in to beauty.

I love her 'don't give a fuckness' feminism, I love that she defines herself as a feminist.

Ah I bet you'll know her once I say so though! She's the creator, writer and star of the HBO series Girls (v good by the way) - she did all this at 26, AFTER writing and starring in a movie called Tiny Furniture (also v good).

I mean if you find her annoying fair enough, but the raging misogyny makes me want to burn things down and start again as cavepeople.

I like her, she doesn't seem to care about any of it and still goes on doing what she wants.
Not sure why you get in such a 'rage' over it though.

It's the misogyny that is raging, Lady, not the OP. Pandarific is merely pissed off, and rightly so. When bigotry and sexism stop pissing us off then we really are in trouble.

I think she's fabulous. I can't wait to read her book.

Sadly you're right op, the comments section of sites like the daily mail are full of ignorant and bitter comments.

Yes, absolutely agree OP. I wonder if it's partially because she doesn't fit the 'non-beautiful' boxes constructed by the popular media - e.g. 'Overweight yet jolly/funny' - such as Melissa McCarthy.

It seems to be very much her 'normalness' that is focused on. The vitriol directed towards her after the ep of Girls where Hannah sleeps with Patrick Wilson was particularly awful.

LadyLuck I share the OP's feelings of irritation - yet another example of institutionalised sexism from the mainstream media that reinforces the message that 'mouthy' young women need to be brought down a peg or two. Better to be demure and beautiful and never express an opinion, eh?

I find her extremely annoying. So annoying that I wouldn't read any article about her so I can't comment on the comments.

YANBU at all - its really sad actually.

I heard a guy on radio program talking about how most every guy in any given room is happily sleeping with a Lena Dunham yet there is massive discomfort over the fact that she portrays a totally common looking woman who has sex while naked no less - I thought that a very apt statement.

I think she's great. People just don't like 'unattractive' women being portrayed as having a normal life, having sex, relationships etc. they are only allowed on TV if they're crying into their soup about being overweight and having nobody to love them. Preferably next to some unrealistically beautiful woman who is the 'star' of the show.
In RL most of us are as attractive or less so than Lena, and we're all out there doing jobs, socialising, getting married etc. but for some reason this can't be shown on TV? I find her getting naked all the time v refreshing, we should see more variety in body types in the media, good on her!
Also, isn't there a saying along the lines of 'if they're hating you, you know you're doing something right'? Def applies in this case.

Oh shes great! I love her! YANBU.

I admire her and think Girls is great.

I think she is amusing. She would be a good guest to have at my imaginary dinner party.

That said, I think some men are annoyed by her media presence because she is a non-model with opinions. It is kind of weird the way she rubs some men the wrong way. Is it a "plain women should shut the hell up and not act like they think they're attractive" thing? (and by plain I mean not a model/porn star, which is what any female who is famous is apparently supposed to resemble nowadays.)

I love her, she is absolutely fabulous and exactly the kind of role model I'd want for my daughter. She's fantastic.

You've got it rainbunny women are only worth listening to if they have the looks to back up the brains.

If she doesn't like the nasty comments, she shouldn't exist, should she? Honestly, uppity women, thinking they can write TV shows and wear what they like to award ceremonies.

And eat what they like too carmine? Even that?

Yeah, those bitches. Eating what they like? How dare they?

Personally, I just don't "get" her popularity. Good luck to her with it as there's clearly something I'm missing but I've tried to watch Girls and one or two other things she's been in but never really saw the appeal of her acting or humour. I wouldn't say for me it is any of the reasons mentioned by OP, apart from maybe not being "likeable" but clearly a lot of people do like her so it is just that she's not to my taste.

I love girls, it's one of my favourite tv programs. I like tiny furniture too. However, I just can't stand Lena Dunham. She is just so self obsessed and seems toy have a very high opinion of herself. She also comes off a bit preachy. I think she just rubs people up the wrong way tbh, nothing to do with her being a woman.