Jennifer Lawrence was never known to be shy, and that isn't going to change anytime soon. If she believes in something, she's going to speak her mind about it in the most honest way. She's not going to sit back and just let things happen because that's not the kind of person she is, and that's why she's one of the most well-liked women in Hollywood, and why we all love her so much. She's true to her word and she's true to herself, so there was no way she was just going to let it slide when she found out her male co-stars were making more money than her.
In a candid essay simply titled "Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?" on Lena Dunham's new feminism-based newsletter "Lenny Letter," Lawrence told it how it really is.
"When it comes to the subject of feminism, I've remained ever-so-slightly quiet," Lawrence, who thinks Dunham is a genius, started off the essay. "I don't like joining conversations that feel like they're 'trending.' I'm even the a-hole who didn't do anything about the ice-bucket challenge - which was saving lives - because it started to feel more like a 'trend' than a cause. I should have written a check, but I f--king forgot, okay? I'm not perfect. But with a lot of talk comes change, so I want to be honest and open and, fingers crossed, not piss anyone off."
She went on to explain how even though her problems as an actress aren't exactly relatable to everyone, sexism in general can be, and when the Sony hack happened and she found out she was being paid less "than the lucky people with d--ks," she got mad at herself for giving up early. She didn't put up a fight when she got paid for her roles because she didn't want to seem "difficult" or "spoiled," and for this, she feels she "failed as a negotiator."
The men, on the other hand, were getting much more than her for their leading roles, and this just didn't sit right with her, especially because when she did try to bring it up, people would take it the wrong way.
"I spoke my mind and gave my opinion in a clear and no-bulls--t way; no aggression, just blunt," she said of a recent encounter. "All I hear and see all day are men speaking their opinions, and I give mine in the same exact manner, and you would have thought I had said something offensive."
In her own, honest words, she's "over trying to find the 'adorable' way to state her opinion and still be likable.'" Her male actor friends, including Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper, have all fought for higher pay, and negotiated their way to the top.
"If anything, 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. "Again, this might have NOTHING to do with my vagina, but I wasn't completely wrong when another leaked Sony email revealed a producer referring to a fellow lead actress in a negotiation as a 'spoiled brat.' For some reason, I just can't picture someone saying that about a man."
To read the whole essay, sign up for Lenny Letter for free here.
