You might remember that the widespread controversy surrounding Lena Dunham and the section of her book where she describes “a story about being a weird 7-year-old” (and what others call child molestation) began with a tweet in which she wrote off the charges as “a right-wing news story.” Sure, it was in an article about Dunham in National Review that Kevin D. Williamson quoted the most disturbing passages from Dunham’s book verbatim — passages that the mainstream media overlooked completely.
As Twitchy demonstrated, it wasn’t only right-wingers but a wide range of people who found the revelations disturbing. “I need @lenadunham to understand that it’s not just straight white conservative men that are disgusted by these latest revelations,” wrote an African-American attorney. “How are you a feminist if you are normalizing the fact that you molested your little sister?” asked another young woman.
So, guess who has arrived to blame right-wingers for ignoring the words of Dunham’s younger sister Grace? It’s Cosmopolitan senior political writer and Feministe blogger Jill Filipovic, who even takes feminists to task.
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529348855318732800
Time for school.
@jillfilipovic it's a well held belief in sexual abuse advocacy that the victim cannot give consent or say what was done was okay.
— jaded barves guy (@fjrabon) November 3, 2014
@JillFilipovic not saying what Lena did was or wasn't sexual abuse, but most victims of sibling sexual abuse deny harm.
— jaded barves guy (@fjrabon) November 3, 2014
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529349912983777280
Who’s ignoring her? Dunham tweeted that “I wish my sister wasn’t laughing so hard” — so it’s all good, right?
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@JillFilipovic Aw, u poor misguided dolt. No one in their right mind sides w/ Lena or you. Feminist/ Right wingers nothing to do with it.
— Jimni27 (@jimni27) November 3, 2014
.@JillFilipovic It sucks she's expected to bail her sister out. Regardless what Grace says/feels, Lena's actions raise major red flags
— SDFeminist (@RCSDFeminist) November 3, 2014
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529353488674074624
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529353568856580096
.@JillFilipovic I don't think Lena = Woody Allen but I don't understand why we are defending this? Cause she's a spokesperson for @PPact ??
— SDFeminist (@RCSDFeminist) November 3, 2014
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529354566371143680
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529355011583913985
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529355255830822912
Again, check Dunham’s original tweets, where she talks about having “looked at another little kid’s vagina.” The book itself recounts far more than “looking.”
@JillFilipovic @AliMarMas But it wasn't just a curious touch… I understand kids are curious and sexual but there was more to it than that
— SDFeminist (@RCSDFeminist) November 3, 2014
Time to normalize some behaviors.
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529356157199343617
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529356246533804033
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529357958392872962
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529359140628746240
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529359411421401089
@JillFilipovic @AliMarMas I understand Lena was trying to make a joke about molesting her sister, but given her behavior, I'm not laughing
— SDFeminist (@RCSDFeminist) November 3, 2014
Let it be noted for the record that Filipovic and Dunham, and not the “far-right,” think molestation jokes are funny and tongue-in-cheek.
https://twitter.com/AliMarMas/status/529359532007653378
@JillFilipovic @AliMarMas @EmilyFrancesSD Just stop. You don't need to condemn her, but attempting to rationalize this isn't helping…
— Nathan Whittaker (@n8inSLC) November 3, 2014
https://twitter.com/andreaTshang/status/529362228898955265
.@JillFilipovic Using Grace as a scapegoat for Lena Dunham's predatory actions is not only cowardly, but the classic tactic of an abuser
— Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) November 3, 2014
.@JillFilipovic If you really supported Grace you would validated her violation; not the tactics used to clear the person who violated her.
— Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) November 3, 2014
.@JillFilipovic Using Grace's name as a shield is shameful for a feminist that's supposed to empower women, not sacrifice them for profit
— Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) November 3, 2014
https://twitter.com/Mombassa1995/status/529364786379644929
https://twitter.com/Mombassa1995/status/529365498094317568
@JillFilipovic I'm more concerned with how Lena essentially brushed off the behavior as normal, when it's not. Grace's words do count for
— ACAB (@elenacleaves) November 3, 2014
@JillFilipovic something, but they do not justify Lena's actions. It may not have been sexual, but was clearly more than innocent curiosity.
— ACAB (@elenacleaves) November 3, 2014
@JillFilipovic Did Grace consent to or understand what was being done to her by her sister? Good luck trying to defend that.
— Farbrook (@dutchindian) November 3, 2014
Well, that didn’t produce the expected response. Back to the safer waters of bashing right-wingers who dared quote directly from Dunham’s book.
https://twitter.com/JillFilipovic/status/529370475617857536
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Related:
Huh? Cosmo editor hates ‘sexist’ CRNC ad, but this is OK? [video, screenshots]
Cosmo’s Jill Filipovic unimpressed with right-wing dude’s law degree from Twitter — that is, Yale
Don’t miss these Lena Dunham molestation ‘joke’ foul flashbacks; Brutal after memoir revelations
Foul Flashback: Twisted molestation jokes not new for ‘Girls’ actress Lena Dunham
Vile: This Jimmy Kimmel endorsement of Lena Dunham and ‘incest and abuse’ is beyond enraging
‘Didn’t anyone say … ’: Dana Perino puzzled by aspect of Lena Dunham memoir controversy
Why did Lena Dunham cancel book tour stops in Belgium and Germany? Any guesses?
How did reviewers who lauded Lena Dunham’s rape survivor chapter ‘miss’ molestation story?
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