Did Elle Deliberately Hide Mindy Kaling’s Body On Magazine Cover?

Fashion magazine Elle is under fire for recently publishing a controversial cover for it’s “Women in Hollywood” issue.

The stars featured on the cover are Amy Poehler, Zooey Deschanel, Allison William and Mindy Kaling. The first three women are depicted with full-body shots, while Kaling is shown only from the chest up. Kaling’s is also the only photo in black and white.

A deliberate move?

Critics of the cover are saying the magazine deliberately made Kaling’s picture black and white to hide the color of her skin (Kaling is Indian- American), and that her full-figured body is hidden, unlike the other women who are shown in provocative, full-body poses.

Some are comparing the incident to an earlier cover Elle published for their “Women in Hollywood” issue in October of last year. On that cover, plus-sized actress Melissa McCarthy was depicted in an oversized coat, while Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley posed in figure-revealing clothes.

“Williams, Poehler, and Deschanel all get the Elle three-quarter length treatment. But Kaling — who, at a self-proclaimed size 8, is hardly “plus size” — gets a close-cropped image,” wrote Fashionista.com.

‘I love my cover’

Kaling, however, doesn’t seem to be upset about the photos.

She recently tweeted, “I love my @ELLEmagazine cover. It made me feel glamorous & cool. And if anyone wants to see more of my body, go on thirteen dates with me.”

Elle also defended the cover, posting a statement online that said, “Mindy looks sexy, beautiful and chic. We think it is a striking and sophisticated cover and are thrilled to celebrate her in our Women in Hollywood TV issue.”

Source: WSJ, TIME