Mindy Kaling Turns Mammograms Into Fashion Moments

It gives a classic Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress! It gives Greek inspiration Hercules! It gave the bridesmaids a toast with champagne in matching Etsy robes! It’s Mindy Kaling’s exam gown at a mammogram appointment, and it serves.

If you’ve never sat alone in a doctor’s office putting on your exam gown, taking sneaky selfies, and praying the door wouldn’t open, you should give it a try. I’ve never taken a selfie at a gynecologist’s appointment that wasn’t exciting. On Thursday, October 21, Kaling posted an iconic example of this very specific genre of self-portraits. She captioned the photo: “Feel cute in my annual mammogram robe! Last year many women missed their yearly mammogram, hopefully you can make an appointment to have it checked. This is very important. Tag me on your mammogram photo and you KNOW I will comment.”

Kaling has millions of followers on social media, so it was very important for her to promote mammograms—x-rays that can detect breast cancer early—and offer fans incentives to get them. In a study of more than 1,300 people published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 41% said they missed medical care during the first months of the pandemic. Now more than ever, it is important to listen to healthcare professionals. When a medical assistant says, “Please put on your gown, the doctor will see you soon,” you should take the word “dress” literally. And as Kaling points out, the best selfies are taken in gynecology offices and breast cancer screening rooms. Pink flatters all. This is a versatile look that you can wear to a picnic, the office, lunch with friends, date night… the list goes on.

You should have a breast exam every 1-3 years between the ages of 25 and 39, and a mammogram every or two years after you turn 40, based on Family planning. Another great opportunity for a dress photo opp: STI checks! A mole screening! Annual physique! Many people missed doctor’s appointments during the height of the pandemic due to safety concerns, but the JAMA study showed that a large number missed their appointments for financial reasons. If you have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, closed mammogram every two years for women after age 50. And Planned Parenthood and other women’s health clinics offer discounts as needed, including for people who do not have health insurance. (This is one of many, many ways Planned Parenthood saves lives.)

Scroll down the response to Mindy Kaling’s tweet, and you’ll be treated to a parade of looks—women in hot pinks and Pepto Bismol, semi-sheer fabrics, deep Vs, and high slits. There are stories of cancer survivors and mammogram beginners, of gratitude and sadness and grunts of joy. There is a language for breasts that ranges from “style” to “boobs” to “sloppy pouch.”

Everything was perfect. Let this be the new trend—our Instagram browsing page should only contain women taking selfies as they wait for their doctor to return. With this, I started putting together my makeup for my upcoming annual medical exam.

There’s only one question left: Can you use a speculum as a claw clamp?

Jenny Singer is staff writer for Glamor. You can follow him in twitter.