There is some pressure when you are a woman doing what I do that you must support all other women unconditionally, no matter what they're projecting, or writing, or producing, or putting forth as their art. I think that's equally arbitrary and random and unfair, and kind of sexist. The secretly sexist way. I have really high standards for what I think is funny. I have that for everything, and I think it would be disingenuous of me to blanket-ly love everything a woman has produced simply to make a statement that we're all in this together.
Mindy KalingThere's obviously instances where I perceive sexism in my job. ... I think that the sort of sexism that I see has been one that's a little bit like a gentler form of sexism, but still a little bit debilitating, which is that when, as a producer and a writer, whether it was at The Office or [at The Mindy Project], if I make a decision, it'll still seem like it's up for debate.
Mindy KalingMy whole childhood was like: Work hard, be quiet, respect elderly people, respect your parents, and just be unobtrusive.
Mindy KalingIt doesn't help for you to name a character's first name be Mindy and then be like, "I'm nothing like the character."
Mindy KalingWhen I've acted, and it's not been something I've written or have had at least a hand in writing, I do think there is a controlling side of me that is frustrated by that. And I actually don't think that it's a bad thing, because if I'm going to be in movies, in large part they're going to be movies that I write.
Mindy KalingThere are little Indian girls out there who look up to me, and I never want to belittle the honor of being an inspiration to them. But while Iโm talking about why Iโm so different, white male show runners get to talk about their art. I always get asked, โWhere do you get your confidence?โ I think people are well meaning, but itโs pretty insulting. Because what it means to me is, โYou, Mindy Kaling, have all the trappings of a very marginalized person. Youโre not skinny, youโre not white, youโre a woman. Why on earth would you feel like youโre worth anything?โ
Mindy Kaling