The "Happy Valley" screenwriter says she had no idea if she had faced any sort of discrimination when she embarked upon her career in films and television but life taught her things the hard way, reports RadioTimes.
"When I started out, it didn't occur to me that I would ever be discriminated against. But later in life I experienced the difference between how men and women are perceived.
"Men are trusted more, it's just assumed they'll be good at something. Whereas women have to prove they're going to be good at it," says Wainwright.
"Things don't come as easily to them or they're questioned more, doubted more. They have to put themselves out there more," she says.