Writer Zinzi Clemmons quit contributing to Lena Dunham’s newsletter “Lenny Letter” after the “Girls” creator faced harsh criticism for defending Murray Miller, who was accused of sexual assault by actress Aurora Perrineau. In her public resignation letter, Clemmons accused Dunham of “hipster racism,” and called on other writers of color to stop contributing to the newsletter as well.
“As a result of Lena Dunham’s statements, I have decided that I will no longer write for Lenny Letter,” Clemmons said in a Facebook post on Saturday. “For all you writers who are outraged about what she did, I encourage you to do the same. Especially women of color. She cannot have our words if she cannot respect us.”
Clemmons went on to explain that she ran in the same circles as Dunham and Jemima Kirke in college, and that she stayed away from their crowd — “avoided those people like the plague” — because of their “well-known” racism.
“I’d call their strain ‘hipster racism,’ which typically uses sarcasm as a cover, and in the end, it looks a lot like gaslighting — ‘It’s just a joke. Why are you overreacting?’ Is a common response to these kinds of statements,” Clemmons said. She said that she knew of one girl in Dunham’s circle who routinely used the N-word “in order to be provocative.”
“And if she was ever called on it, she would say ‘it’s just a joke.’ I was often in the same room with her, but I never spoke to her, only watched her from afar in anxiety and horror,” Clemmons added.
She said that Perrineau’s account of sexual assault hit close to home for her, because one of her friends in college went through a similar experience. She said they decided not to report the incident “because we didn’t want to expose her to more trauma, which would surely come from facing these people. I grew up middle class, with no family connections in the writing or art worlds, and my friend was from a similar background. We were powerless against them.”
Clemmons said she still feels guilt that they didn’t report it at the time.
She urged other women who write for “Lenny Letter” to quit, too. “Their boss betrayed them by her actions, and it was wrong for her to make them choose between their authors and supporting their boss. They deserve so much better,” she said.
Dunham apologized Saturday for not supporting Perrineau, saying she was “absolutely wrong” for accusing her of submitting a false report.
“Every woman who comes forward deserves to be heard, fully and completely, and our relationship to the accused should not be part of the calculation anyone makes when examining her case,” Dunham tweeted.
'Girls': 10 Times Hannah Showed Up Wearing the Wrong Thing (Photos)
Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) is the center of the Brooklyn-based storm that is the "Girls" quartet. She's known for her comical, spontaneous escapades. Here are 10 times her outfits showed just how unprepared she was.
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In Season 1, Episode 7, the whole gang goes to a warehouse party in Bushwick. Marnie (Allison Williams) and Jessa (Jemima Kirk) are dressed to the nines, and Hannah is wearing a cardigan and shorts over tights. It's prime example of Hannah just being herself.
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In Season 2, Episode 2, Hannah wears a sleeveless orange sleeping bag. She's at home and looks comfy, so she's not really underdressed in this case. But this outfit is just too hilarious not to include. And, to be honest, we're a little jealous of her Snuggie upgrade.
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Hannah wears a perfectly fine tank top to a party with Elijah (Andrew Rannells) in Season 2, Episode 3, but switches shirts with a guy in the middle of the dance floor. The top is mesh, and see through, and we see... everything. Maybe she's channelling NYC's #FreeTheNip movement?
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OK, so Hannah's outfit is actually pretty appropriate in Season 3, Episode 5, but her attitude practically cancels out her black blouse. She bombards the new widow with questions about her e-book, instead of paying respects to her deceased editor.
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Oh, Hannah. We know you meant well. In Season 3, Episode 10, she's trying to seduce Adam in a new way because she feels him pulling away from her. Unfortunately, Adam isn't too down and she's left frustrated and feeling bad.
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Hannah's teacher outfit in Season 4, Episode 8 is very teacher-y, but once again her attitude doesn't match her threads. In this episode, she takes one of her students (Maude Apatow), to get a frenulum piercing, promising she'll get one too. Not only is this inappropriate, she also bails on getting her piercing.
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When Hannah goes on a retreat with her mom in Season 5, Episode 5, she wears a trendy swimsuit to go hiking. She even manages to strategically use it as a pocket for her cell phone. But seriously, isn't she worried about poison ivy?
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By the end of Marnie's (Allison Williams) wedding episode, Hannah gets her bridesmaid's dress right, but in the meantime she comically cannot get the straps right. While she can and does rock some unique styles, exposing your midsection in a wedding probably isn't the most tasteful move. She does achieve a cool, Greek-goddess look, though. Season 5, Episode 1.
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When Hannah goes to surf camp in Season 6, Episode 1, she mistakenly takes another woman's wetsuit. She obligingly takes it off to give it back, but... isn't wearing a bathing suit underneath.
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It's true that Hannah didn't know she was walking into an engagement party, but she's underdressed nonetheless. Soshanna (Zosia Mamet) even calls her out on it, saying wearing overalls to an engagement party is something Hannah would totally do. Season 6, Episode 9.
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Lena Dunham character’s spontaneity lands her in awkward situations… and awkward outfits
Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) is the center of the Brooklyn-based storm that is the "Girls" quartet. She's known for her comical, spontaneous escapades. Here are 10 times her outfits showed just how unprepared she was.