The voice of a generation : an exploration of Lena Dunham's multi-modal personae

Abstract

Lena Dunham has been coined as the voice of the Millennial generation. Her multi-modal career, varying from her HBO sitcom Girls, best-selling memoir Not That Kind of Girl, to her online website/e-newsletter Lenny, has provided Dunham a platform to discuss her opinions on political, economic, and social issues, specifically pertaining to the feminist discourse. What becomes problematic in positioning a figure to represent an entire generation is it, consequently, silences and continues to marginalize the voices she is intended to represent. Particularly focusing on her memoir Not That Kind of Girl, and her website/e-newsletter Lenny, I view Dunham's personae as a microcosm for the larger issues I find in third-wave feminism and the Millennial generation.