My Open Letter To Jennifer Lawrence

Dear Jennifer Lawrence:

Thank you for writing your op-ed piece "Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars" about gender inequality regarding salaries in the entertainment business. I found your piece to be refreshingly honest and forthright when you said you were mad at yourself for not negotiating better because you wanted to be liked and not viewed as difficult or a brat. As a fellow actress and a woman who’s worked in a few other industries, I think you’re spot on when you write that women: often feel like we have to sensor ourselves and think twice about what and how we say things to ensure we come off as being nice, kind, “not difficult” “not spoiled” and not a b**ch. I think this might be a result of social conditioning and that we might also acknowledge that this affects women AND men. By that I mean, if women feel and act this way, doesn’t it also stand to reason that men will continue to be conditioned to expect such behavior from us? So, bravo to you for creating a different paradigm in the recent meeting you referenced where you clearly and directly stated your opinions – even though that was off-putting and uncomfortable to the men in attendance. Perhaps, if more of us do that, both women and men will acclimate to a communication and business environment where mutual respect is the norm and no one feels offended, intimidated, or the need to diminish or suppress who s/he is. It may be an uphill battle - especially for those who, as you admit, haven’t earned the millions of dollars you have - but not an insurmountable one. Until then, let’s champion wage transparency and respectfully, directly, speaking up for what we need and want.

Best,

Suzanne