As one of the more vibrant and constructive voices in today’s nanosecond world of microblogging and faceless bullies, Mindy Kaling is breaking down stereotypes and stigmas associated with body image by spreading some encouraging words with an empowering message posted to her social media.
On Friday night, Kaling took to Instagram to share a side-by-side photo of herself sporting two, very stylish high-waisted bikinis: a Flagpole black halter top with color-blocked high-waisted bottoms, and a Tory Burch piece featuring a navy, printed two-piece, accessorizing with heels, earrings, a hat and sunglasses. But it was her message behind the photos that really struck a chord with social media.
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“[I don’t know] who needs to hear this but… [shouting emoji] WEAR A BIKINI IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A BIKINI. You don’t have to be a size 0. Swipe for my storytime and have a great summer,” she wrote alongside a heart emoji. Kaling added a note in edits also admitting that while her message “sounds like an ad,” it’s not. “If you want to buy ANY high waisted bikini and wear it, tag a pic so I can comment!”
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In the post, Kaling also shared a video to help vocalize her stance on being more positive in dialogue about our bodies with an anecdote about her Hawaiian friend that ultimately inspired the impromptu photo shoot.
“My very best friend in the world, Jocelyn, is from Hawaii, and I would go and visit her when I was in college, and what I was struck about Hawaii is that everybody wears bikinis,” Kaling recalled. “It does not matter what your body type is. You rock a bikini ’cause you’re in Hawaii. And there’s so much body positivity there that I, who was always really shy about my body, would wear bikinis.”
Kaling’s post inspired fans, followers and celebrity friends to chime in with a plethora of supportive messages for the eloquent and inspiring post.
“I just moved to Oahu last year and this is the truest thing. I would have never let myself out of the house in a bikini before, and now I can’t stop buying them. Every body type is out here just enjoying life in the ([very very] hot sun) and seeing that inspired me to say ‘screw it’ and enjoy the hell out of it too,” wrote one fan.
“Bikini body = any body in a bikini,” added another alongside a heart emoji.
“I have been feeling so bad about myself lately. I needed to hear this. Thank you. You are beautiful,” wrote another fan.
Yara Shahidi and Fuller House star, Candace Cameron Bure affirmed their appreciation with a string of emojis, while Nia Vardalos joked, “I wear a bikini and sometimes only wear the bottoms!! #Greece.”
Kaling, best known for The Office and her series, The Mindy Project, welcomed her first child — a daughter Katherine, in December 2017. This past May, Kaling told Us Weekly how she is balancing motherhood with her busy career.
“It’s like, work hard, play hard. I definitely work more hard than I play hard. And so I think that’s not bad. I think that I have never gotten anything easily and that’s OK!” Kaling told the publication. “If I can set that example for her to work hard like I did, I think I’d be happy.”
Photo credit: Instagram / @mindykaling
