Lena Dunham and Taylor Swift both received backlash in the wake of Donald Trump's election, but for completely opposite reasons. Dunham was slammed for speaking up loudly: she received hate from both passionate Bernie supporters and Republicans for her unapologetic support of Hillary Clinton. Swift, on the other hand, was criticised by fans and detractors for staying silent throughout the election. (We still don't even know who she voted for.) This is what you call a classic "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. And according to Dunham, it's not right.
The actress and writer reflects on the catch-22 in a new interview with Rolling Stone. "It was painful when people were like, 'Hillary lost because Lena Dunham is such a bad example of liberalism,'" she admitted. "If I'm gonna be the punching bag for [Hillary's loss], I know where my heart is and I know why I felt like I needed to campaign for her." But Dunham just as staunchly defends her friend Swift's choice to stay out of the election entirely.
"I just think everyone has to do it their way," Dunham said. "When I was lesser known, I was like, 'Who could not share their opinion?' Then I found out that when you talk about politics, people straight up tweet you the floor plan of your house and say they're coming to your house. You have to fucking watch it because people are nuts."
Basically, the Girls creator is arguing that voicing your political beliefs makes you vulnerable to those who would disagree. You can decide for yourself if that's a valid reason to remain neutral in an election as contentious as November's, but Dunham is clear where she comes down on the issue.
Dunham also has a lot of respect for the way Swift navigates the choppy waters of public opinion while continuing to produce art. "She's been in the public eye since she was 15...Watching the way that she understands the vicissitudes of the cycle, and she just keeps making her work — that's just really impressive to me." She added, "She's been put through the ringer, and she's continued to make her work."
The 30-year-old continued, commending the singer for staying focused and unflustered. "That's how I hope to live my life, which is not as a slave to public opinion, but just as somebody who continues to make things. She's truly just an artist who has to make things to survive. I guess that's what we have most in common."
So whatever you think about celebrities' choices to get involved in politics, there you have it: Lena Dunham and Taylor Swift have more in common than you may have thought.
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