Jennifer Lawrence talked about feminism in Hollywood in a blunt, no-nonsense essay she wrote on Lenny, published on Oct. 13. Lenny is an online newsletter by her friend, actress and director Lena Dunham.
"When it comes to the subject of feminism, I've remained ever-so-slightly quiet. I don't like joining conversations that feel like they're 'trending,'" the 25-year-old actress began. "But with a lot of talk comes change, so I want to be honest and open and, fingers crossed, not piss anyone off."
The wide wage gap between male and female actors remains a persistent issue ever since the 2014 Sony hack scandal broke out. As The Guardian reported, several hacked emails revealed that women actors are paid significantly less than their male counterparts. In particular, one email cited that Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were paid 7 percent of profits from their movie "American Hustle," while Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper got 9 percent. This, despite the fact that Lawrence has an Oscar trophy to boot, something that her male co-stars don't have in their resumes.
The "Hunger Games" lead star wrote that when she heard about the news, she got mad at herself, not at Sony, because she "failed as a negotiator." She blamed her passiveness to her desire to please people and be "likable."
"I didn't want to seem 'difficult' or 'spoiled,'" Lawrence wrote.
She went on to question if women are "socially conditioned" to behave like this. "We've only been able to vote for what, 90 years? Could there still be a lingering habit of trying to express our opinions in a certain way that doesn't 'offend' or 'scare' men?" she asked.
The Academy Award-winning actress called out male actors Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, and Bradley Cooper who "fought and succeeded in negotiating powerful deals for themselves." "I'm sure they were commended for being fierce and tactical, while I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat and not getting my fair share," she wrote.
She concluded by saying she's done trying to be "adorable."
Lawrence's opinion is something that many actresses have been waiting to hear. Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Salma Hayek are just few of the women who are pushing for gender equality in Hollywood.
"If you have the same capacities and you are doing the same job, it is criminal not to pay the same salary," Hayek has told Reuters at the recently held "Power of Women" event.
Meanwhile, Emma Watson, who is working with the United Nation's HeForShe campaign, expressed her support for Lawrence's cause via Twitter. "Jennifer Lawrence, I love you so," the actress tweeted.
O Jennifer Lawrence I love you so. X
— Emma Watson (@EmWatson) October 13, 2015
Lawrence currently holds the top spot in Forbes' list of highest paid actresses. Her declared income for this year is $52 million. Robert Downey, Jr., the highest paid actor on the same list, earned $80 million.
