Lena Dunham, writer, actress, and self-proclaimed queen of oversharing, made a rare public appearance at the Trans Day of Visibility rally in Washington, DC. And by “rare,” we mean rarer than a Kardashian without contour.
The 38-year-old Girls creator took to the stage on the National Mall on Monday (March 31) to address the crowd, a moment she later called a “total pleasure and honor”—which, let’s be real, is much nicer than the Yelp reviews for Girls Season 2.
Lena’s Instagram Love Letter (With a Side of Activism)
In true millennial fashion, Lena rushed to Instagram afterward to spill her feelings:
“We stood in front of the Capitol celebrating a community that has meant more to me than Instagram allows characters for,” she wrote. Translation: If she could, she would have turned the caption into a 47-slide carousel.
She went on to describe how being part of the rally was a privilege, adding:
“The crowd and leadership were so inspiring—the youth really will save us, and the elders will show us the way.”
A poetic sentiment, but also, a solid reminder that Gen Z will drag us all into the future whether we like it or not.
Dunham Drops a Speech—And a Reading List
Never one to stop at just a heartfelt speech, Lena also took to her Good Thing Going Substack to drop a full transcript of her remarks and a book list featuring some of her favorite trans authors. It’s giving Oprah’s Book Club, but make it intersectional.
The Speech: Lena Gets Sentimental (And Slightly Off-Topic, But In a Good Way)
On stage, Lena started off by acknowledging that she is, in fact, not the most qualified person to discuss trans rights from a legal or political perspective. But she was there to do what she does best—deliver heartfelt, winding, and occasionally hilarious reflections about love, identity, and that time her dad said “slay” in front of a room full of trans girls.
She shared a personal story about her sibling coming out as trans, explaining how she once believed that having a sister was life’s greatest gift—until she realized the actual prize was having a happy, thriving sibling. “Turns out, the best thing you can have in your corner isn’t a sister,” she said. “It’s a trans brother who absolutely gets you—and also, chic trans friends who will instantly improve your fashion sense.”
Lena described the journey of seeing her sibling transition as “a profound gift” filled with laughter, learning, and, yes, some awkward dad moments.
“You really haven’t lived until you’ve seen your 75-year-old cis-hetero father stand in the middle of a party full of trans girls and call something ‘slay.’ He reaaaally tried.”
She also talked about how being close to her sibling and other trans friends gave her a new perspective on identity—one that felt less like a strict box and more like an infinite, colorful, constantly-evolving experience.
“It was like going from primary colors to a full rainbow, from a flat image to 4D.”
Honestly? A great metaphor. Also, a decent pitch for a Pixar movie.
The Part Where Lena Almost Says “Boots the House Down”
In a moment of self-awareness (we love to see it), Lena revealed that she consulted her sibling before the speech to avoid any cringeworthy missteps.
“He made it clear that there would be enough dialogue about the impossible odds trans people face—especially trans youth and trans people of color. He said my only job was to express how special, sweet, fun, fab, delightful, and divine it is to be embraced by trans people.”
And then came the moment of restraint:
“He specifically told me not to say phrases like ‘boots the house down, mama.’”
Justice for Lena’s suppressed inner ballroom queen, but also… solid advice.
The Big Takeaway
Lena wrapped up her speech with a heartfelt message:
“We love you. We see you. We bow down to your charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.”
Yes, she straight-up quoted RuPaul’s Drag Race, and yes, it worked.
She ended with a powerful reminder:
“Trans lives don’t just matter—they transform the world into a place of possibility, joy, and discovery.”
Lena came, Lena spoke, Lena made us laugh, Lena made us cry, and Lena reminded us all that the world is better when we uplift trans voices. Also, we now need to see footage of her dad saying “slay.”
