Lena Dunham has hit back after a magazine placed her on its cover to promote a feature on diet tips.
A photo of the star was shown next to the headline “20 slimdown diet tips stars are using”.
Dunham took to Instagram to share the real reason behind her weight loss, which was actually due to mental and physical health problems, as well as anguish over the current US political climate.
The star, who was sent to A&E after last week’s Met Gala because of endometriosis complications, has been praised by fans for holding true to her beliefs and speaking out against society’s attitude towards dieting.
Dunham who is notoriously anti-diet and tirelessly promotes body confidence in everything she does, took a photo of the unidentified magazine cover and shared her own set of ‘diet tips’ in the caption.
She listed “anxiety disorder” and the “resultant constant nausea” as her first two tips, shortly followed by “abdominal adhesions pinning ovary below uterus” -highlighting her struggles with endometriosis.
Other points highlighted the struggles of being a woman in 2017, such as “worrying ceaselessly about the health and safety of women you know” and “having your phone number leaked and violent images texted to your phone”.
The actor said the fact she receives “harrowing threats to physical safety online” and has to watch institutions such as Planned Parenthood “be threatened by cartoon moustache-twirling villains” are also enough to prompt weight loss.
She also highlighted her concerns surround the current political climate in the US, citing “an election that reveals the true depths of American misogyny” and “constant sweaty dreams of dystopian future” as two other diet tips.
At the end of the list, she said she didn’t want to be on the cover because it’s against everything she believes.
“I have no tips, I give no tips, I don’t want to be on this cover cuz it’s diametrically opposed to everything I’ve fought my whole career for and it’s not a compliment to me because it’s not an achievement thanx [sic],” she concluded.
Writing for The Pool, Amy Jones questioned why weight loss is always perceived as a good thing and added that we should be careful of praising others if they lose weight, as you never know what they may be going through.
“We have to remember that not all weight loss is good weight loss,” she wrote.
“Complimenting someone on dropping a few dress sizes could be congratulating them on feeling so sad they can’t eat or so stressed they’re burning with nervous energy.”
Dunham has received over 78,000 likes on her Instagram post and fans were quick to commend her for taking a stand against the cover.
“Thank you for this. Always,” one commenter wrote.
Another added: “You are inspirational, your confidence in your views are something I wish I had in my twenties and thirties. In my fifties, I share the same despair, anger and call to action for the causes that were assumed safe from this horrific administration.
“Hoping your physical health joins your intellectual health... you really help so many with your voice.”