‘Pride for us isn’t to satisfy straight people’s egos’: Lena Dunham faces backlash from the LGBTQ community after declaring she wants her coffin to be wheeled through New York’s Pride parade
- Star, 36, took to Twitter on Sunday and requested that her coffin be driven through the NYC Pride Parade
- A number of users questioned exactly why Dunham was being honored by the LGBTQ community
- Others posted memes mocking Dunham’s comment as despicable and attention-grabbing
- Dunham was honored by the group Point Foundation in 2014 for her advocacy for the LGBTQ community
A tweet from Lena Dunham sparked a flurry of criticism on Sunday, when the actress posted a request on the social media site that rubbed people the wrong way.
“If I go, I want my coffin to be wheeled through New York’s Pride parade with a plaque that says ‘She wasn’t for everyone, but she *was* for us” — who can arrange that? ‘ said the Girls star, 36, on Sunday.
A number of users questioned exactly why Dunham was being honored by the LGBTQ community.
The Latest: A tweet from Lena Dunham sparked a flurry of criticism on Sunday, when the actress posted a request on the social media site that rubbed people the wrong way. The 36-year-old entertainer was photographed in London last month
“And what have you ever done for LGBTQ? Sis you’re not a gay icon,” said one user, while another said, “Pride is for us, not to satisfy the egos of straight people who see us as accessories.”
One user said, “This is called gay pride, not straight shame,” while another added, “Girls no. we don’t claim you like that.’
Said one user, “Um…we’ll pass, but thanks for the offer?”
Some people wondered why Dunham assumed the LGBTQ community would make her a focal point of the Pride march.
Dunham requested that her coffin be wheeled through the NYC Pride Parade after her death
A number of users posted memes joking that the Sharp Stick director and actress put her foot in her mouth or was using the tweet to fish for attention
A number of users questioned exactly why Dunham was being honored by the LGBTQ community
“You really aren’t for anyone except older millennials who keep getting kicked out of social spaces for saying insults,” said one user, while another added, “Counterpoint: we’re driving a photo of you through the Jersey Shoreline with a sign that reads “We’re not sure who she is either.”
A number of users posted memes joking that the Sharp Stick director and actress put her foot in her mouth or was using the tweet to fish for attention.
One user said, “She died as she lived: in a ploy as puzzling as it was desperate to gain attention.”
The 2014 Golden Globe winner received the Horizon Award from gay advocacy Point Foundation, which is dedicated to “a young pioneer who has taken a leadership role as an advocate for the LGBTQ community,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A user posted an image of a person throwing a can at tomatoes to disapprove of the tweet
Another user compared Dunham to actress Lea Michele, who has been accused of being unmusical in the past
Others posted memes mocking Dunham’s comment as despicable and attention-grabbing
“Nobody can better convey the ambition of today’s young adults to overcome obstacles and fulfill their great potential than Lena Dunham,” Jorge Valencia said in a statement at the time. “Dunham uses intelligent humor and compassion to present an honest assessment of something our Point grantees know all too well: the struggle to be comfortable in your own skin.”
At a gala where she received the award in April 2014, the New York native said she was “disappointed” that she isn’t gay, since her sister Grace came out when she was 17.
“I’ve always felt a strong and emotional connection with members of the LGBTQ community,” she said. “It was actually a huge disappointment for me when I came of age and realized that I was sexually attracted to men.”
“When my sister came out, I thought, ‘Thank God, now someone in this family can truly represent my beliefs and passions.’