In a lengthy essay, the 'Girls' star accuses the jury's decision to keep the singer within her label as 'a cornerstone of domestic abuse'.
- Feb 24, 2016
AceShowbiz - While many simply tweeted supports, Lena Dunham went all the way to writing an essay about Kesha's (formerly Ke$ha) legal case against Dr. Luke. The "Girls" star and avid supporter of feminism spoke on the singer's behalf about how "the American legal system continues to hurt women."
Posted on Lenny Letter, the essay analyzed the case in details before stating Dunham's opinions. "To be clear, Kesha's case is about more than a pop star fighting for her freedom, or a $60 million investment in a shiny commercial career," the actress wrote. "It's about more than whether Kesha can strap on her cool leotards and make another album, free from a man who she says terrifies her. It's even about more than the systemic misogyny of the entertainment industry, or the way that women in music and film have long been controlled and coerced by abusive Svengalis and entities larger than themselves."
She reminded fans of the studio system in the '40s and '50 and made a reference to Ike and Tina Turner who signed with more than 10 labels in just five years.
Dunham continued, "What's happening to Kesha highlights the way that the American legal system continues to hurt women by failing to protect them from the men they identify as their abusers." She added that Dr. Luke's potential "efforts to bury her subsequent albums, preventing her from publicizing and therefore profiting from her work" is a kind of control that "is a cornerstone of domestic abuse.... When a woman is not in control of her financial destiny, either because her partner is the primary breadwinner or because he makes financial decisions for the entire family, her world is made minuscule. Her resources evaporate. Fear dominates."
Lady GaGa, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Kelly Clarkson and many others have shown their support for Kesha after last week's court ruling. "The women in the music industry speaking out for Kesha are proof. And their words will reverberate, inspiring the young women watching them for clues about the good life to speak up too. Soon, no one will accept shame and fear as the status quo. And so, while Kesha is indefinitely silenced, her voice has never been louder," Dunham wrote.
The full essay can be read by subscribing to Lenny Letter.
