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| Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Allison Williams, Lena Dunham Goodbye Tour |
In late 2014, I discovered a little known television show, created by Lena Dunham, called Girls. A story about four young women finding themselves while living in Brooklyn, New York. I was 21 and had recently discovered my love for writing. Watching these older girls, who are a part of my generation, struggle to find their way was quite comforting for me. To know you didn't have to have everything figured out in your twenties was nice to see. When I binged watched the first three seasons, I noticed the complexities of these young women. How unlikable they can be at times but how relatable they actually are.
As the seasons progressed, each girl morphed into their own version of young womanhood. Hannah went through many light highs and dark lows before finding her stride. Although, even when it seems like she's found her way, Hannah encountered a few bumps in the road before realizing she will be okay. Marnie's journey began strong, thinking she knew what her life was going to be like, only to discover her dreams didn't match her reality. Therefore, she began looking for comfort and happiness in other people (friendships, men) instead of searching for it within herself. Jessa came into town with the "cool girl" persona that stuck with her for a while but slowly began to peel away. This allowed her authentic self to come through and she realized she needs to work on who she has become. Shoshanna began as a student at NYU and idolized her older cousin Jessa along with Hannah and Marnie. Throughout the years of their friendship dynamic, she began to see that the three girls have their own messy issues which may not suit the life she wants for herself.
I may not be able to personally relate to all the situations these girls have endured but I can understand their thinking. When one of them somehow makes a situation about themselves so they can find a sense of control in an uncontrollable moment is something I definitely know about. All of these girls are trying their best. It may not seem like they're trying very hard but they are. It may not be how some people try their best but for them, their best is good enough. Many times we've watched them fall down but falling down doesn't mean they've admitted defeat. These girls have always persisted and kept moving. Even when they claim they're not going to, they eventually do. And if nothing else, that is something to admire from young women trying to find their way.
The portrayal of female friendships and how the friends you have when you're young may not be the friends you keep for life is something rarely seen onscreen but most people have gone through. We've all seen ride or die friendships on tv and as much as entertaining as it is to watch, it's not true for many friendships. The girls of Girls were friends because three of them went to college together and one was related to the other girl. But what I love about the story and arc of the show is the telling of what happens when what brought friends together is no longer present. The journeys they embark on to try and keep their friendship afloat even though it's unstable. Life took them on different paths which became more different than alike. It's comforting to see this on television, especially as a young woman. We're constantly changing interests and who we call our friends now may not be there later. That's perfectly okay, it's a natural part of progressing into adulthood.
Girls showed a part of being in your twenties that's sometimes uncomfortable to view because it's honest and true to life. All of the girls on this show were trying to figure out who they're supposed to be while dealing with what it means to be a young woman in today's complicated society. The range of complexities shown throughout each girl's arc was remarkable to watch. Even when they were frusturating at times, there's something beautiful about seeing a young woman on television being unapologetically herself, flaws and all. Women are more than just one caricature or line on a page. We're messy and this show broke the way for showing female characters as mirrors of how real women are really like.
Thank you Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner, Judd Apatow, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Jemima Kirke, Adam Driver, Alex Karposky, Andrew Rannells, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and the other incredibly talented actors who appeared on Girls, as well as the brilliant writers and crew, for pushing the limits and showing the complexities of young women that aren't always likable or glamourous. Your show has encouraged me to not apologize for who I am, to embrace my flaws and learn to accept them even when I hate them. Girls has made me feel more comfortable with not knowing exactly how my life will be. As long as I'm progressing and evolving into a young woman I'm proud to be most days of the week, all the anxiety about what isn't known and trying to control everything around me fades away.
Thank you for everything.
I'll see you around my loves. x
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