"So many angry seemingly men": Lena Dunham links Girls hate to the MAGA movement roots

HBO's dramedy series Girls, starring Lena Dunham, debuted in 2012 and ran for six successful seasons, concluding in 2017. When the series first aired, some called it fresh, while others thought it was entitled. But Lena Dunham, the creator and star, says the backlash went beyond TV criticism.

In a recent interview with the Girls Rewatch Podcast, Lena Dunham talked about the wave of anger that followed the show. Not just from critics or viewers, but from people who were more or less conservative or part of the MAGA movement. She said,

"There were so many people who, when the voices of — whatever we want to call it — really alt-right, or MAGA, or conservative voices, Proud Boys or whatever started to rise, and people were like, ‘I’m so shocked by the way people are talking.’ I was like, ‘I’m not. Like...Those voices were in a comment section; Like I was experiencing those voices in 2012 in the way that there were so many angry, seemingly men and some women dissecting the show in these incredibly conservative terms.”

Girls offers a raw and realistic portrayal of a group of young women in their 20s navigating both personal and professional life. From toxic situationships to STI scares to unglamorous jobs, the show does not sugarcoat the realities of being a young woman. Unfortunately, this Emmy-winning show faced criticism for its lack of diversity and characters that many found hard or selfish to relate to.

Lena Dunham reveals behind-the-scenes fury over Girls and its bold storylines

While Girls was praised for its honesty, it was also criticized for its blind spots. Dunham has acknowledged these issues, but the political hate, she says, was different. She said,

"Yes there were people in Brooklyn who found us irritating or liberal people who took issues.. I always had a respect for that.

Lena Dunham further added,

There was always a big contingent of conservative people, like really looking at it almost as evidence of some kind of moral decrepitude, and also making big judgments about our physical bodies, our s**uality, it was interesting to realize kind of what a surprise it was to some people in like even 2016 or 2018."

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Girls pulled back the curtain on what growing up looks like-no filters, no glam. Just four women stumbling through their twenties in New York. Friendships cracked, careers stalled, and problems piled up. A coming-of-age story that never pretended to have it all figured out. It was uncomfortable but relatable to the core. And now, more than a decade later, it remains a touchstone for shows like Fleabag, I May Destroy You, and similar series.

All episodes of Girls are available to stream on Hulu and HBO Max. Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more updates on your favorite shows and movies.

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