By Jessica Cunha ’17

The public has continued to fall more and more in love with Jennifer Lawrence as she remains one of Hollywood’s biggest names. Her down to earth, low key personality is refreshing in an industry that tries to present an unhuman like level of perfection.

So, when the Sony hack from November 2014 revealed that compared to Lawrence’s male costars in “American Hustle,” she was being paid significantly less, people were outraged that their beloved Oscar award-winning actress was being lowballed. Up until now, she has kept mum about the topic. But, in early October, Lawrence wrote and published an essay in Lena Dunham’s newsletter, “Lenny Letter,” finally expressing her opinion. In her personal writing, Lawrence reflected on how she often held back during contract negotiations out of a desire to maintain her likeability.

“I did not want to seem ‘difficult’ or ‘spoiled,’ Lawrence said. “At the time, that seemed like a fine idea, until I saw the payroll on the Internet and realized every man I was working with definitely didn’t worry about being “difficult” or “spoiled.”

Junior Madison Gemma said she was upset over the truths that Lawrence exposed.

“It just doesn’t seem fair at all. She is giving the same amount of effort to the movie yet her pay does not show that at all.” Gemma said. “I am so surprised that people are doing this to her considering she is such a famous actress. It just shows that this can happen to anyone.”

Many other Hollywood celebs, both male and female, have since commended Lawrence for bringing attention to a reoccurring issue within the industry. Influential figures such as Emma Watson, Amy Schumer, Bradley Cooper and more have stood behind her.

“Putting a microscope on it and having the impact that it’s had is a great thing,” Cooper said of hiring practices along gender lines in a interview on Oct. 29 with BBC. Obviously transparency is necessary in order to help that equilibrium occur.

However, along with the positive support, people have criticized. On the Oct. 19 airing of Fox News’ “Fox and Friends,” Meghan McCain voiced her opinion that Lawrence’s Hollywood status desensitizes her from working women’s struggles.

“You have to fight for what you think your value is,” McCain said, “and not all of us are going to have a Bradley Cooper here to bail us out and, you know, come in and get paid as much as I’m going to get paid.”

How big is the wage gap for the average woman exactly? Data from a 2014 study by the women’s rights group AAUW, which reported that women are earning 79 percent of men’s salaries. Essentially, what this means is that if two people are doing the same job and are applying the same amount of effort, gender is the factor in this 21 percent pay gap. To go even further, depending on the state, this difference in pay can be either better or worse. In New Jersey, a woman can expect to make 80 percent of a man’s salary, only a sliver better than the average.

For women of color, this wage gap is even more significant, with the data showing that white women earned more in similar fields. The only way to make significant change is for these corporations to actively monitor these salaries and insure that this overwhelming imbalance is corrected.

From a male’s perspective, it may be easier to desensitize themselves from the issue of gender equality rather than face it head on. However, junior Steven Lucero said he feels that it is not solely a woman’s problem, but a human one.

“It is unfair that in the 21st century, women are still being treated without respect,” Lucero said. “That’s basically what it comes down to. Employers need to start to take women seriously.”

Even though Lawrence is well off, her experience is putting a spotlight on the underlying issue of a lack of gender equality in not just Hollywood, but beyond. The more people voice that this discrimination is unacceptable, the greater of a chance that progress will be made.