During The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Drama Actress Roundtable discussion, Sarah Paulson got candid about her experience with sexism in the industry.

I’ve never been asked to play the leading lady without having to be a blonde. I don’t mind it, I like the blonde — but to be told that in order to be considered a romantic lady opposite some hunky guy, I need to have long blond hair that looked very L.A. Real Housewives? It does do something to your brain. You go, ‘Gosh, so the way I came into the world is not as appealing as it would be if I were altered in some way?’ That’s a funny message to extend to a person.