Lena Dunham, creator of the HBO sitcom “Girls,” has stated that the character she plays would view dating a black Republican the same way as dating a Nazi.
The show’s second season premieres Sunday night, and Dunham’s character Hannah has found a new love interest in Donald Glover of NBC’s “Community,” whose character is a black Republican. In an interview with NY Mag’s Vulture, Dunham explains what his character’s politics mean for her character, Hannah.
Why make him a Republican?
We liked the idea of a Republican entering their universe. And Hannah doesn’t really have a clear sense of why you shouldn’t date a Republican; it’s kind of just like the same reason why you shouldn’t date a Nazi: You just shouldn’t.
When the interviewer follows up on that phrase, Dunham clarifies that while she is progressive, she does not have the same blanket “ignorance” she is satirizing through her character.
Wait, so your position is that you shouldn’t date a Republican?
My personal position is that you should date anyone you want so long as they treat you respectfully and share your value system. So it might be hard for me to date someone who was against gay marriage and abortion rights — I don’t think I would be attracted to them — but I don’t have any personal problem with dating a Republican. I do think that Hannah has this reverse ignorance where she’s like,If they’re Republican, get them out of my airspace, and that was a fun thought to explore.
Last year, Dunham cut an ad for Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, titled “My First Time,” comparing a vote for the incumbent President to losing one’s virginity.
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