Lena Dunham Apologizes for Abortion Comment, Donates to Pro-Abortion Fund

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Jerome Hudson

Actress Lena Dunham has apologized for saying she wishes she had had an abortion, after the remarks stirred immense backlash online.

Dunham broached the controversial topic on her “Women of the Hour” podcast, saying I “can say that I still haven’t had an abortion, but I wish I had.”

Reaction on social to the Girls star’s comments was severe.

“I can’t even imagine how offensive Lena Dunham’s comments are to women who actually had to go through abortions,”  one Twitter user wrote.

Another person tweeted: “FYI an abortion is not something you ‘get to have.’ It’s an awful experience one SHOULDN’T wish for like a gift from Santa.”

Within a matter of hours, Dunham had apologized for her comments in a lengthy Instagram message.

Under a photo of the word “choice,” Dunham said her “latest podcast episode was meant to tell a multifaceted story about reproductive choice in America.”

“I truly hope a distasteful joke on my part won’t diminish the amazing work of all the women who participated [in the podcast],” she continued. “My words were spoken from a sort of ‘delusional girl’ persona I often inhabit, a girl who careens between wisdom and ignorance…and it didn’t translate. That’s my fault. I would never, ever intentionally trivialize the emotional and physical challenges of terminating a pregnancy.”

Dunham insisted that her intent was to “increase awareness and decrease stigma” around abortion, and said she takes “reproductive choice in America more seriously than I take literally anything else.”

At the end of the message, Dunham asked her supporters to donate to a pro-abortion organization.

“You know how in some households you curse and have to put money in a jar?” She asked. “Well in mine, if you mess up your pro-choice messaging you have to give a sizable donation to abortion funds.”

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My latest podcast episode was meant to tell a multifaceted story about reproductive choice in America, to explain the many reasons women do or don't choose to have children and what bodily autonomy really means. I'm so proud of the medley of voices in the episode. I truly hope a distasteful joke on my part won't diminish the amazing work of all the women who participated. My words were spoken from a sort of "delusional girl" persona I often inhabit, a girl who careens between wisdom and ignorance (that's what my TV show is too) and it didn't translate. That's my fault. I would never, ever intentionally trivialize the emotional and physical challenges of terminating a pregnancy. My only goal is to increase awareness and decrease stigma. I take reproductive choice in America more seriously than I take literally anything else, and therefore own full responsibility for any words I speak that don't convey this truth clearly. I know plenty of people will never like a thing that leaves my lips, mea culpas or no, but this apology is for the women who have placed their trust in me. You mean everything to me. My life is and always will be devoted to reproductive justice and freedom. You know how in some households you curse and have to put money in a jar? Well in mine, if you mess up your pro-choice messaging you have to give a sizable donation to abortion funds (https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion) in New York, Texas and Ohio ὋI look forward to fighting with you all for the next four years and beyond.

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Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson

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