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A magazine used Lena Dunham to hype 'slimdown' tips. Check out her epic response.

Lena Dunham was pretty pissed off to find herself on a recent cover of Us Weekly, and we honestly can't blame her.

Next to a headline offering "20 Slimdown diet tips stars are using," Us Weekly ran a photo of the "Girls" star with the caption "Lena: how she gets motivated."

But here's the thing: Dunham didn't give the magazine any "slimdown" tips nor did she let them know how she gets motivated.

In a searing response on Instagram, Dunham dropped some brutal honesty about weight and health:

20 slimdown diet tips! 1. anxiety disorder * 2. resultant constant nausea 3. an election that reveals the true depths of American misogyny 4. constant sweaty dreams of dystopian future 5. abdominal adhesions pinning ovary below uterus * 6. baseless but still harrowing threats to physical safety online and through smail mail 7. watching institutions you love from Planned Parenthood to PBS be threatened by cartoon mustache-twirling villains 8. finally realizing superheroes aren't real (specifically the X-Factor, really thought they'd handle this) 9. marching your ass off 10. a quiet rage that replaces need for food with need for revenge 11. sleeping 19 hours a day 12. realizing that even the liberal media wants dem clicks no matter whut 13. worrying ceaselessly about the health and safety of women you know and women you don't 14. realizing who ya real friends are 15. having to switch from Uber to Lyft (lots of calories burned trying to understand a new app, then even more trying to understand if the conflict was resolved) 16. bladder spasms, urinary frequency and urgency * 17. having your phone number leaked and violent images texted to your phone by randos under names like VERYFATCHUCKYBOY@creepz.com 18. keeping your back arched against the wind 19. um, who the fuck cares? 20. I have no tips I give no tips I don't want to be on this cover cuz it's diametrically opposed to everything I've fought my whole career for and it's not a compliment to me because it's not an achievement thanx * Star indicates a pre-existing condition

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on

The caption reads:

"20 slimdown diet tips! 1. anxiety disorder * 2. resultant constant nausea 3. an election that reveals the true depths of American misogyny 4. constant sweaty dreams of dystopian future 5. abdominal adhesions pinning ovary below uterus * 6. baseless but still harrowing threats to physical safety online and through smail mail 7. watching institutions you love from Planned Parenthood to PBS be threatened by cartoon mustache-twirling villains 8. finally realizing superheroes aren't real (specifically the X-Factor, really thought they'd handle this) 9. marching your ass off 10. a quiet rage that replaces need for food with need for revenge 11. sleeping 19 hours a day 12. realizing that even the liberal media wants dem clicks no matter whut 13. worrying ceaselessly about the health and safety of women you know and women you don't 14. realizing who ya real friends are 15. having to switch from Uber to Lyft (lots of calories burned trying to understand a new app, then even more trying to understand if the conflict was resolved) 16. bladder spasms, urinary frequency and urgency * 17. having your phone number leaked and violent images texted to your phone by randos under names like VERYFATCHUCKYBOY@creepz.com 18. keeping your back arched against the wind 19. um, who the fuck cares? 20. I have no tips I give no tips I don't want to be on this cover cuz it's diametrically opposed to everything I've fought my whole career for and it's not a compliment to me because it's not an achievement thanx * Star indicates a pre-existing condition"

"[Weight loss is] diametrically opposed to everything I've fought my whole career for and it's not a compliment to me because it's not an achievement," she wrote as the 20th and final "tip."

Listing everything from an anxiety disorder to being stalked by strangers online, Dunham touches on a bunch of factors that may have affected her weight in one way or another. The most important point here, though, is that weight simply shouldn't matter. And in Dunham's case, this is something she's talked about over and over — c'mon, people!

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.

"I feel I've made it pretty clear over the years that I don't give even the tiniest of shits what anyone else feels about my body," she wrote on Instagram back in March.

"I've accepted that my body is an ever changing organism, not a fixed entity — what goes up must come down and vice versa. I smile just as wide no matter my current size because I'm proud of what this body has seen and done and represented."

A person's weight or weight loss don't automatically correlate with a person's health — and that's something worth keeping in mind the next time you're tempted to say, "You look great; did you lose weight?"

Illustrator Miriam Caldwell opened up about the extremely awkward situation she was put in as friends congratulated her on losing weight — not knowing that the weight loss was brought on by an illness. And in Dunham's case, she's recently lost some weight as the result of taking steps to try and manage her endometriosis.

The point is that you don't know what someone's situation is, and sometimes these "compliments" can actually be painful and embarrassing.

Thank you for all the love & concern that's been pouring in since Tuesday. Although I'm much healthier than I was a year ago, complications arose from my most recent endometriosis surgery. When the healthcare of so many American women, especially our trans sisters, is at-risk- or already nonexistent- I am lucky to be in the position to seek help when I'm in pain. To those in that privileged spot- never forget that we are blessed and can pay it forward by supporting Planned Parenthood and LGBTQ clinics like Callen-Lorde with our 💰 and ⌚️. I also want to remind all the women suffering from chronic illness that we aren't weak- quite the opposite, actually. We do our jobs with skill even when we're struggling. We care for our families even when we can hardly care for ourselves. We serve major face on a red carpet when we feel like lying face down would be more appropriate. I'll always be proud of those Met Gala pics- not just because I felt beautiful, surrounded by art and magic, hugging my best friend tightly, but because they're evidence that women contain steely multitudes. Just that morning @dianafalzone sued Fox after they took her off air for disclosing her endometriosis. But they're the ones who lost when they fired her, because everyone who's anyone knows that if you can battle chronic illness there's nothing you can't take on.

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on

Being skinny doesn't automatically make you a spokesperson for all things healthy, just as being fat doesn't mean mean you're unhealthy. Health can't be measured on a scale, and it's not something any of us can see just by looking at another person. So don't let magazines mislead you by only telling you half the story. Health and happiness is possible at any size.

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Hollywood's brightest stars thank the women who've helped them achieve greatness.

Serena Williams. Emma Watson. Kerry Washington. These women need no introduction.

By every measure, they are talented, strong, and working at the top of their respective fields. But they didn't achieve their success alone.

That's why they've come together, along with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and athletics, to say thank you to the women who got them there.

Image via Lean In/YouTube.

Together Women Can is a public awareness campaign from Lean In and Makers about the power of women supporting each other.

The campaign kicked off with Williams, Watson, Washington, and other stars — including Lena Dunham, Selena Gomez, Abby Wambach, Megyn Kelly, and more — sharing their personal experiences about the role of female mentors. Whether it's a director, friend, producer, or even a sister, these relationships boosted their confidence and helped them reach professional heights they never thought possible.

For Emma Watson, the woman in her corner is acclaimed director and writer Sofia Coppola.

All GIFS via Lean In/YouTube.

Eva Longoria Baston gave a warm thank you to All3 Media executive vice president Nina Lederman.

And Selena Gomez couldn't help but thank her whole squad.

Having strong women in your corner isn't a perk of the rich and famous. Female mentors and allies are something women of all stripes can benefit from.

And the data doesn't lie.

In the workplace, women are given less credit for their work and suggestions. Women are interrupted more, (not just by men) and are often given less time to speak. Women's performance is often underestimated, and we're frequently passed over for raises, promotions, and plum assignments. And when women try to assert themselves or speak more confidently and directly, we often receive pushback for being too aggressive or unlikable, feedback most men wouldn't receive for the same behavior.

That's why it's so vital that women work together and support one another.

While popular culture often pits women as rivals, we know better.

Together we are a force to be reckoned with. We are smart, strong, funny, and fierce. Capable of running the boardroom, the backcourt, or the Broadway stage. When women celebrate each other's accomplishments, mentor and support young women on the rise, and encourage one another, there's nothing we can't do.

At the same time, "leaning in" isn't a silver bullet for solving poverty or ending years of institutional sexism, but forging these relationships in the workplace is the first of many tools we can use to support one another and fight for gender equality.

"Lean In" author and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said it best:

No matter your gender or where you are in your career, we can all do our part to ensure women are heard, respected, and promoted in the workplace.

More voices means better ideas, stronger teams, and improved morale. It's a win for all of us. Because when it comes to equality and changing the status quo:

Watch their powerful messages and #LeanInTogether with the women who lift you up.

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The problem with Kate Winslet's story about not settling for 'fat girl parts.'

Kate Winslet was told she 'might do OK if [she] was happy to settle for the fat girl parts.'

Kate Winslet took home a prestigious award, but it's what she said after that's making news.

Over the weekend, Winslet took home the award for best supporting actress at the BAFTAs for her role in "Steve Jobs." During the backstage press conference, she shared a personal story about growing up and being told the "might do OK if [she] was happy to settle for the fat girl parts."

Why should she have to "settle" for anything? And why is "fat girl parts" meant to be an insult?

"Fat" is not an insult. "Fat" should not be an insult. "Fat" should be an adjective. It has nothing to do with your moral character or who you are or what you’re capable of. "Fat" is not an insult.

GIFs from HeyUGuys/YouTube.

And so she dedicated the award to women who've been put down by others for whatever reason, urging them to push on through criticism to achieve their goals.

Super inspiring, right?

Please clap. GIF from "Citizen Kane."

But wait, what's wrong with "fat girl parts"?

That drama teacher who put down Winslet when she was 14 wasn't just insulting her, but all women — fat and otherwise.

And wouldn't it be cool if instead of stigmatizing women who don't fit conventional beauty standards, we celebrated them just as they are? Wouldn't it be cool if more people in the movies resembled the types of people we see in everyday life?

Here are seven actresses who have embraced body positivity, brushing off the idea that "fat girl parts" are something to be ashamed of.

1. Gabourey Sidibe

2. Melissa McCarthy

3. Amber Riley

4. Rebel Wilson

5. Lena Dunham

6. Nikki Blonsky

7. Kate Winslet — a familiar face!

Watch Winslet bask in the BAFTA win afterglow. (Her "fat girl parts" comments start around six minutes in!)

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Want to see more women calling the shots in Hollywood? Here are 5 things that need to happen.

The numbers don't lie: There are almost zero female directors in Hollywood.

Lena Dunham, one of the few women calling the shots in Hollywood. Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images Entertainment.

That also applies to women in other roles behind the camera, and even in front of it.

In the top 700 grossing films from 2007 to 2014, women made up only 30.2% of speaking roles. In 2014, only 1.9% of directors who made the top 100 grossing films were women. And this is just from one study, conducted by the Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative at USC Annenberg.

A recent New York Times article uncovered some reasons (read: excuses) for why this is the case, from studios prioritizing movies with male leads because of foreign audiences to the confounding idea that women don't want to direct blockbusters. (Spoiler alert: They do.)

The whole article is an engrossing, outrage-inducing read. Yet within the many anecdotes from female directors about discrimination they've experienced lie many potential solutions. Here are five:

1. The few women who do have a foot inside Hollywood's door need to support other women.

Apparently, in Hollywood, women don't often find support from other women. Even when some women make it to the top — such as the ones who run two of Hollywood's big six studios — they don't always extend a hand to other female directors or even actresses.

When an industry only makes room for one or two women to succeed, those women are less likely to support other women out of fear that they'll be replaced by the very women they mentored.

Another fear that keeps women from working together in Hollywood is being pigeonholed as someone who can only work on movies for women. Former Sony Co-Chairperson Amy Pascal explained that after producing female-driven hits earlier in her tenure, she felt she wouldn't be given a chance to make more mainstream projects.

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment.

As long as it's every woman for herself, women are going to remain tokens in a male-dominated Hollywood. Many of the female directors and producers who spoke to the New York Times stressed the importance of making change by working together.

Pascal herself is getting back to producing movies about women, including the all-female "Ghostbusters" reboot.

2. Men in Hollywood need to mentor outside their comfort zone — i.e., they need to mentor women.

The Times piece opens with the charmed upward trajectory of director Colin Trevorrow, who went to the Sundance Film Festival with an indie romantic comedy. Pixar director Brad Bird ("The Incredibles") then introduced him to Steven Spielberg, who picked Trevorrow to direct "Jurassic World." Bird said he liked Trevorrow because Trevorrow "reminded me of me." Meanwhile, director Leslye Headland also had her indie romantic comedy, "Bachelorette," screen at Sundance and got no such recommendation or opportunity.

There could be many reasons why Headland didn't come away from her Sundance screening with an opportunity like that. But Bird related to Trevorrow because he saw himself in him. So it makes (unfortunate) sense that women are less likely to get the opportunities their male counterparts get simply because the men who offer them don't see themselves reflected in female directors.

Hollywood has to stop thinking of women-driven films as niche, or women directors as too unrelatable to mentor. And men in positions of power in Hollywood need to make sure they're mentoring women just as often as they're mentoring men.

3. The success of people like Shonda Rhimes, Jennifer Lawrence, and Amy Schumer shouldn't be exceptions to the rule.

Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Entertainment.


As far as Hollywood is concerned, "The Hunger Games" succeeded only because of Jennifer Lawrence, "Trainwreck" succeeded only because of of Amy Schumer, and "Scandal" and "How to Get Away With Murder" are only successes because of Shonda Rhimes — not because women in general are capable of creating films and shows for a large audience, but because these specific few, rare women are talented enough to have mainstream appeal.

Successful female-driven films and TV shows are thought to be exceptions to the rule, rather than profitable and resonant in their own right. And when a female-driven film or show flops, it's often assumed that it flopped because of women, even though when movies with male leads flop, the overwhelming maleness of the film is never cited as a reason why.

Luckily, there are Hollywood power players who are investing in women-directed films and television shows. Besides Rhimes, a powerful producer and show-runner, there's Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, and Geena Davis, as well as Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who are all championing female directors, screenwriters, and characters through their nonprofit organizations and production companies.

"If everyone's gonna pass on all the strong, ass-kicking lady directors and writers out there, we'll take them," says McKay.

4. Hollywood needs to let women be themselves on set.

There are two glaring examples of this in the NYT piece. The first is the case of "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke, who wasn't considered to direct the rest of the franchise after helming the first movie because she was "overly emotional," crying on set during a particularly hard day. And the second is the great Barbra Streisand, who was derided for being "indecisive" when she asked for input on the set of "Yentl."

Yet directors like David O. Russell keep directing Oscar contenders even after he's come to blows with George Clooney, shouted at Lily Tomlin on set, and allegedly "abused" Amy Adams on the set of "American Hustle," according to the Sony email hack.

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Entertainment.

Cinematographer Rachel Morrison told the NYT about how, when she finally couldn't hide her pregnancy anymore, people stopped booking her on jobs.

"It should have been up to me if I was capable to work or not," Morrison said. As much as male directors are given free rein over their sets and their schedules — and their emotional outbursts — the same opportunities should be available to women.

5. Women should feel just as empowered and entitled to help themselves as their male peers do.

It's inevitable that all this sexism is internalized, at least somewhat. Which is probably why Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told the Times that no woman expressed interest to her in directing "Star Wars." It's also why, as director Allison Anders explained, that in Hollywood negotiations, "The men are like: 'Oh please, yes. I want to do this.' Women are a little too suspicious, too cautious and a little too precious about their reality."

This is the "Lean In" phenomenon. Women need to lean in and ask for more in order to get success. And that's good advice for individual women to internalize, but does it help on a systemic level?

As "Girls" creator Lena Dunham pointed out, there is a flaw in putting the pressure on women to fix the problems in a system where sexism is so prevalent and power is so often held by men:

"I feel like we do too much telling women: 'You aren't aggressive enough. You haven't made yourself known enough.' And it's like, women shouldn't be having to hustle twice as fast to get what men achieve just by showing up."

So how do we fix this?

We're seeing progress, slowly but surely, as more and more female-driven films and shows succeed. And even industry executives can't deny the pattern of what shows and movies are bringing in the most money.

But there are two things that need to happen to make sure this progress continues until we reach a point of gender parity: One, women have to fight for themselves and support each other, and two, men have to support women too.

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