When I say that I consider myself a feminist, the reply is usually something along the lines of, “So you hate your own gender,” or “Are you just saying this to get girls?” Both are not only inaccurate, but also insulting. I consider myself a feminist for the straightforward reason that I believe that women have the same rights as men politically, socially, culturally and economically. This is one of the many reasons my favorite show currently on television is HBO’s "Girls." Out of all my guy friends, I am the only one who watches it, let alone considers it one of the most entertaining shows in the past few years. So with that, I give you my reasons on why guys should be watching "Girls."
1. It's about guys too!
Just because it is called "Girls" does not mean that they dominate the show. There are three lead male roles, and I guarantee you fellas, you can find yourself relating to at least one of them. First, we have Charlie, who just wants his girlfriend Marnie to have the same feelings for him that he shares for her. Sound familiar? We have all had a girlfriend at one point who we constantly worried didn’t return our affection. Then there is Ray, a lazy curmudgeon who just wants to read a good book or watch an intellectual movie without being bothered by the world of women that surround him. Every guy at some point just wants to escape the drama of “girl world” and just watch our favorite Tarantino movie or read the latest James Franco novel. And finally, we have Adam, who is named so appropriately because he truly embodies the attitudes of the first man. Adam tells people he likes to be alone but secretly loves companionship. He finds himself in physical relationships because he knows that a true commitment would disrupt his alone time and instead force him to have actual conversations about girls. SOUND FAMILIAR YET?!
2. Enter the mindset of women.
You don’t have to admit it, but every guy wants to be able to read women’s minds. Think of all the things we would finally get right if we knew what they meant when they said, “Don’t worry, nothing's wrong." Well, after talking to several of my female friends, I learned that "Girls" is a pretty accurate depiction of the modern woman. Huzzah, fellas, we have a show that allows us to see how women handle day-to-day struggles. Who knew that not every women wants to hear “I love you” or that when they say, “I just need space,” they really do want space. All jokes aside, "Girls" shows men that equality should exist because even though we may use different words to express ourselves, we are all dealing with the same relationship issues.
3. Lena Dunham, the voice of a generation.
If you haven’t seen "Girls," you still have probably heard Lena Dunham’s name in a gender studies class before. Well, this is because she is quickly becoming the voice of our generation. Dunham plays Hannah on "Girls," and as the main character, she is surprisingly obnoxious at times. She is not meant to always be a likable character because just like any regular person, we are not always likable. Lena Dunham created the show, writes most of its episodes and even directs some. She is a full force and has used her writing ability to speak for our generation when we often don’t know how to put words into a text. She understands the generation because she is one of us. At only 29 years old, she knows exactly what it's like to be worried about graduating college, being financially cut off from our parents, and constantly asking herself the all too familiar question, “What if I just don’t want to have a career?”
4. The music.
Don’t expect any Taylor Swift to show up on "Girls." Nope -- instead we are given artists such as Fleet Foxes, Santigold, Grouplove and Fun. The characters themselves live in hipster Brooklyn, and the music brings that part of New York alive, which means there are plenty of party scenes where you get to see attractive girls dance to good music. What’s not to love? Every song is perfectly placed and you will find yourself discovering new artists for your playlist. Everyone loves to be the first one to say they found that band or artist first, and the "Girls" soundtrack allows you to be that guy. Because come on guys: nobody wants to discover a song from hearing it in a car commercial.
5. Judd Apatow produces.
As if Lena Dunham wasn’t funny enough, comedy master Judd Apatow produces the show. Apatow is the same man who discovered Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, and so many more. "Girls" often has the same deadpan humor that you will find in "Superbad" and "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." Apatow is known for being able to bring out the bromance in guys, but with "Girls," he becomes the learner, and just like male viewers, discovers new things about women, and gains a great deal of respect for Lena and the rest of the female cast.
So if you are in a relationship or just looking to get to know that cute girl who sits next to you, check out "Girls" because in the end, we all want to connect with someone on an equal level.
