You may recognize the name from the hit HBO series Girls, or her film streamed on Netflix under the title Tiny Furniture. When I hear the name, I think so much more.

Lena Dunham: actress, human rights activist, director, writer extraordinaire, and modern day hero. But why? I will do my absolute best to honor her with 7 simple reasons. Brace yourself.

1) She read Lolita at the age of 9.

This may be an ambiguous reason. For those of you who do not know what Lolita is about-- I didn't know so I had to Google it-- it is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov. The premise follows the memoir of incarcerated Humbert Humbert, a man sexually infatuated with his step daughter. (I will be sure not to reveal any spoilers for you in case you want some light reading this summer).

What about this makes Lena so inspiring? She is fearless when trying new, complicated things, and she is okay with confusion and misunderstanding. In an interview with BuzzFeed she blatantly stated, “I had no clue what anybody was talking about.”

How many times have we kept from doing something because we did not understand? And how many more times have we been too afraid to raise our hands and admit, "I am confused"?

Lena tells us it is perfectly okay to not understand, but that should not keep us from taking risks.

2) Her parents come from Jewish and Protestant backgrounds.

She is the living product of coexistence, something our modern world struggles with, just as our old world once did. Regardless of your religious beliefs, I find this a beautiful sentiment. It shows that great things, even great people, can come from love and acceptance. How cool, I think to myself, that two people raised in different cultures, built on different foundations, embedded ambitious, tolerant ideals into a beautiful human being.

I don't agree with all of Lena's beliefs. I bet she wouldn't agree with all of mine. But that does not mean I can't respect her, even admire her.

3) In 10th grade she wrote and directed her school play on abortion.

Heavy topic, I know. But, that is the precise reason that she is one of my modern day heroes. She has the balls to talk about the taboo; the things no one wants to talk about. I picture a group of old women sitting in rocking chairs on their proch, white gloves on the hands that cover their mouths as they whisper about "today's youth" and "sex, drugs and rock & roll". As they sit, by golly speak of the devil, Lena Dunham stomps up the steps tatted with her ankles showing and she curtsies.

I am pro-life and therefore do not support abortion, but I still am in awe of her courage. I do not care about the topic of her 10th grade play. I care that she took the time to write it. I care that she had the gumption to start the conversation.

4) She openly discusses her diagnosis with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

By sharing her struggle with OCD, she singlehandedly is taking strides towards breaking down barriers for those with psychological disabilities and exterminating stigmas. A woman of her caliber has a voice that can be heard globally. As any public figure probably does, I am sure she receives backlash every day, just for being herself. Yet, she ignores the public's ignorance and keeps treading the way for others like herself whose voices cannot be heard.

5) She graduated with a major in creative writing.

Admittedly, I am a little biased on this one because I, too, am majoring in creative writing. This is inspiring for writers like myself because it shows us there is possibility and future for us outside of our journals and writer's bibles. But this is also inspiring for anyone who has been told that what they want to do with their life will amount to little or will not earn them a penny.

Lena does what she loves, and she has a net worth of around 3 million dollars. She is successful, and I think most of that stems from her tenacity and self-acceptance.

6) Her "unconventional" beauty.

Today, Miss America pageants, modeling ads and romantic comedies sport women with size 00 waists and hair that flows past their voluptuous breasts.

Lena, though? She can be categorized as unconventional.

She is shorter in stature and plumped with beautiful curves. She often times has hair that reaches just short of her shoulders. She hardly wears makeup on screen. This is the identity that has carried her through all of her successes. And she is praised for it.

Here is a round of applause from women everywhere, Lena, who feel they do not fit into the confines of America's "conventional" beauty standards.

7) She is an open book.

Along with unconventional looks, the way she presents herself can be considered unconventional as well. From her on-screen nudity to her creative processes to her honesty to her mental health, she bears it all for the public to see, unabashedly.

Whether you like Lena Dunham or not, you cannot ignore that she has a large heart, a will to fight, and a pen to be reckoned with. She crosses the boundaries our world has laid out for us with messy grace, and she does so unapologetically.

These are the reasons she is a modern day hero. My modern day hero.