Claire Danes is on the cover of January’s Glamour — where thirtysomething actresses go to declare their feminism. And apparently, that now means declaring one’s allegiance to Lena Dunham. “I am a feminist,” Danes told the magazine. “And I’m so glad that [Girls creator and star] Lena Dunham exists, because she is one too, and she’s quite vocal about it.” Without any more context (and not to dismiss Danes’s other feminist credentials), I’m intrigued by the idea of Dunham as a code-word for the desire for better representation of women and female experiences in the entertainment industry. Where young starlets once hedged “I’m not a feminist, but,” they can now simply name-check Lena Dunham, and she will be the mockingjay of their imminent overthrow of Hollywood patriarchy. Because, as Danes points out, the fight did not end with Girls. “Yes, women have more freedom and more influence than ever, but it’s hardly equal,” she told Glamour, “It’s just not.” Remember, girls unafraid to look ugly, we’re still betting on you.
