The gender gap in Hollywood may not be an immediate and pressing issue for everyone, but it is a reflection of our greater society and needs to be addressed. With the 2016 Academy Awards looming close on the horizon, it has become much more talked about of late.

According to the Women's Media Center, in 2015, women made up only 19 percent of all non-acting nominees. In seven non-acting categories, not a single woman was nominated. That means that no woman was nominated for Directing, Writing (original screenplay), Writing (adapted screenplay), Cinematography, Original Score, Visual Effects and Sound Mixing.

Women are half of the population. Yet women in film are systematically left out of these types of awards-based events. They are not acknowledged for their work. Someone looking at the statistics might say, "Maybe it's become not as many women go into film." This is not the case.

The presence of women in film is wide and rich, with women producing, directing and creating incredible content all the time. We just aren't recognized for it.

Let me give you another startling statistic: In the 88 years of the Academy Awards, only four women have ever been nominated for Best Director, and only one woman has ever won. Kathryn Bigelow was the first and is still the only woman to ever win Best Director, for her film, "The Hurt Locker."

This is a disgrace. To women, to art, and to all of us. Little girls with dreams of making movies, writing screenplays, editing film and creating musical scores have no confirmation that their dreams are realistic.

I myself am a second year Cinema major in college, and I am terrified. I am staring into an abyss—I am interested in one of the most sexist fields a person can go into. I love film with a passion. The history, the art, whether it is traditional narrative or experimental, editing, writing or the like, I want to be involved. But how can I look forward to a future when all my female film idols go unrecognized and unappreciated for their talents, snubbed by the academy, looked over simply because of their gender.

This year, when you are sitting on the coach watching the Oscars with your friends, instead of playing drinking games and obsessing over the fashion and attractive actors, I beg you to spare a moment and recognize the blaring gender gap, and the lack of diversity.

Once again, for 2016, no women were nominated in the Directing category. No women will have the opportunity to win. Further, not a single person of color was nominated, for acting, directing, or any other category. Put those two together, and you are looking at the biggest awards show of the year, as a giant party to celebrate rich white guys.

I am just sad and frustrated, and I want women to be recognized. I want to see my role models on TV, getting awards and having a platform on which to broaden the reach of their art.

Maybe someday we will be able to bridge this gender gap, but until then, I am going to continue pursuing what I love.