23 February 2016
Newsdesk
Lena Dunham almost vomited when she heard the outcome of Kesha's record label court battle because it reminded her of "private triggers".
On Friday (19Feb16), the Tik Tok singer lost her bid to walk away from her Sony contract amid her sexual assault legal battle with mentor and producer Dr. Luke.
In a lengthy edition of her Lenny newsletter published on Tuesday (23Feb16), the Girls creator reveals the intense impact the singer's case had on her.
"When I saw the outcome of Kesha’s court case last Friday, I felt sick. Actually sick - I wanted to ask my Uber (taxi) to pull over so I could throw up in a New York City trash can," she writes.
"The photos of her beautiful face crumpled with tears, the legally necessary but sickening use of the word 'alleged' over and over in reference to the assault she says she remembers so vividly - it all created a special brand of nausea that comes when public events intersect with your most private triggers."
Despite the verdict, Lena thinks Kesha's decision to take her fight to court helped draw attention to flaws in the way the American legal system treats women who make accusations of abuse.
"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 stated, adding, "Fighting this fight publicly and in the legal system has already changed the course and tenor of her career forever."
The feminist TV star hopes that Taylor Swift and Demi Lovatos public displays of support for Kesha will encourage more women to speak out against a system she regards as unjust.
"The public outcry about Kesha’s case has been truly heartening: the swell of shock and indignation from fans and fellow performers alike," Lena writes.
"It wasn’t long ago that women in the public eye didn’t have a loose-enough leash to reach out and support one another, for fear of losing all they had worked so hard to create. Instead they quietly watched on their televisions, hoping they wouldn’t be next. 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."
Dr. Luke denies all the allegations Kesha has made against him.
