People are having extremely mixed reactions to Lena Dunham’s new tattoo

Lena Dunham has been very candid about her struggle with chronic health conditions. The writer and actress revealed she underwent a hysterectomy in 2018, and also suffers from fibromyalgia and arthritis (both of which cause chronic pain). And on April 3rd, she debuted a neck tattoo that she got in hopes to “reclaim” a word that’s often used to describe her: “sick.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvx7k-GA46J

"sometimes the thing you’re most scared of being called is the best thing you can call yourself. thank you @havenstudiobk for labeling me... and to my sisters in this dizzying but starry slog- i am lasso’d to you!"

Dunham has undergone 12 surgeries related to her health issues over the last few years, and even recently joked that, “Anyone who knows me (or knows *of* me) equates me with 2 things: nudity and pelvic pain.” Many fans had nothing but words of support and encouragement about the new tat. One wrote, “Reclaim dat!” Others left comments like, “Love it,” and “Wow, this is so cool.”

However, not everyone is on board with “labeling” when it comes to chronic illness.

One wrote, "Looking good BUT we dont need labels, do we?"

One commenter, who also suffers from chronic health conditions, chimed in with, “I have always been a fan, but I don’t know about this. I have arthritis. I have fibromyalgia. I have endometriosis (I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago because of it). But would I label myself ‘sick’? No. I am not what happened to me. I am what I become. Move on, Lena. Move. On.”

Dunham responded directly to the above user, writing, "There's so much judgement in this comment. Aren't I allowed to feel the pleasure in owning a phrase that has often been used negatively?"

At the end of the day, there’s no one way to process illness, nor any one way to feel empowered. What are your thoughts on Dunham’s new ink?