Lena Dunham Recalls Father's Reluctance to Vote with Her in 2012

The actress faced intense online backlash during her 'Girls' series that impacted even her personal relationships.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 1:59am

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An abstract, high-contrast close-up photograph of shattered glass and crumpled aluminum foil, reflecting a single bright light, conveying a sense of fragmentation and personal turmoil.The backlash and public scrutiny faced by high-profile figures can take a personal toll, even on their closest relationships.Charleston Today

Lena Dunham has revealed that her father did not want to be seen voting with her during the 2012 presidential election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, due to the intense online hate and backlash she was facing at the time over her HBO series 'Girls'.

Why it matters

Dunham's experience highlights how online vitriol and public criticism can spill over into personal relationships, even with one's own family members. It also speaks to the challenges that high-profile public figures, especially women, can face when their work sparks controversy.

The details

Dunham recalled that her father, who she describes as her 'best friend in the world', told her 'I don't know if I wanna go vote with Lena Dunham' out of concern that being seen with her would 'signal something'. This was during a time when Dunham was actively campaigning for Obama's reelection, but was also facing intense criticism over the lack of racial diversity and economic privilege portrayed in her show 'Girls'.

  • The 2012 presidential election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney took place in November of that year.
  • Dunham's HBO series 'Girls' premiered in 2012 and aired for 5 seasons until 2017.

The players

Lena Dunham

An actress, writer, and producer best known for creating and starring in the HBO series 'Girls', which faced criticism for its lack of racial diversity and portrayal of economic privilege.

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States, who was running for reelection in 2012 against Mitt Romney.

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What they’re saying

“I remember there was a day, and this is not in the book, where I was going to vote with my father. And I had been campaigning for Obama, it was 2012. And I remember he said, 'I don't know if I wanna go vote with Lena Dunham'.”

— Lena Dunham, Actress and Producer

The takeaway

Dunham's experience highlights the personal toll that intense public criticism and online backlash can take, even on one's closest relationships. It underscores the challenges that high-profile public figures, especially women, can face when their work sparks controversy and how that can impact even the most fundamental aspects of their lives.