Spectator by Seema Goswami: Swim against the stereotypes

Mindy Kaling and Martha Stewart rocked swimsuits recently. Both remain stuck pandering to age-old standards expected of women

When it comes to women in swimsuits, it’s never just about swimsuits. Take lifestyle guru Martha Stewart, who at the grand age of 81, slipped into a one-piece to pose for the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 2023 Swimsuit Issue. Or actress Mindy Kaling, who lost close to 15 kilos to model the swimsuits of the range she designed in collaboration with a fashion brand.

Actor and writer Mindy Kaling, known for her curves, lost weight to model swimsuits, looking almost unrecognisable. But it didn’t come off as inspirational. (Instagram/@andieswim)

Eighty-one-year-old Martha Stewart posed for the cover of Swimsuit Illustrated, becoming the oldest cover model in the magazine’s history. But if this is something we should aspire to, it is a depressing prospect. (Instagram/@marthastewart)