Writer and actress Lena Dunham, who is famed for speaking candidly about everything from sex to body image to Love Island, has posted a new bikini photo and shared some honest thoughts that she's had during the pandemic on weight pressure. Addressing her 2.9 million followers, Lena discussed how lockdown and being isolated has left her thinking more about losing weight, as has seeing people have 'lockdown glow-ups'.
"Oh hey, just self-isolating with my pod, AKA my pot belly and my sunglasses," she began. "You know I’ve been thinking a lot about my pot belly in quarantine – especially as I notice an unusual amount of articles with titles like 'How I Lost The Weight' and 'Diet Is Everything'. Are there more of them or do I just have more time to notice?"
She continued on to say that pressures she previously felt able to shrug off, are somehow hitting a little differently right now – something I'm sure many others can relate to. "Somehow, headlines that used to roll off my flesh rolls sting in a new way – not because I think that’s the body I’m meant to have, but because it feels like it’s adding yet another item to the epic to-do list we are all creating for ourselves in COVID – you know the one: 'Now that I can’t be in the world, maybe I’ll finally... take up karate... build my own furniture... grow geraniums...'."
Again, in her typically relatable fashion, Lena (a former Cosmopolitan UK cover star) also reminded her followers that living through a pandemic is far from easy and shared that growing up in a bigger body wasn't always easy for her. "For most people, pandemic life has not proven to be a break from the world or themselves. And so the list grows, the items remain unchecked, and the suggestion of a revamped clean eating plan in my newsfeed somehow feels like a personal assault. Growing up chubby, fat, thicc, whatever you wanna call it, I always felt my body was a sign that read 'I’m lazy and I have done less'."
Lena continued on to say that she is now grateful for what her body does for her, in spite of adversity such as illness (she has been open about her endometriosis diagnosis and hysterectomy). "Over the years, as my body guided me through my career and illness and disability, I started to appreciate what it was capable of. But somehow, this pandemic time has brought back some of those old feelings of self-loathing and I think it all comes back to that damned to-do list, the one that started when we went into lockdown.
"Should I be revamping my fridge with veggies and showing off before/after pics, emerging from quarantine with a revenge body? And why, after all these years spent fostering self love, do I still feel like weight loss is an item for my to-do [list]? When I could be adding 'learn Spanish?' or 'fall in love with a firefighter?'."
Everyone's clicking on...
Rounding off her post, Lena asked her followers to comment and reflect on their own body journey during lockdown: "But I’m so curious – what has this period brought up for you as you’ve sat with the body you were given, no matter where self isolation has taken it? Please share with me in the comments – I’ll be reading faithfully from right here in this bikini top."
It's certainly got us thinking...
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
