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Dove - Media culture and teens

How does celebrity culture and media influence body image?

How does celebrity culture influence your child? What is the media's impact on their self-image? Use our articles and activities to give your child the skills they need to resist appearance ideals.

In today’s ceaselessly body-conscious media, stories about women and girls often present a narrow view of beauty. Unless we widen that definition to include attributes beyond looks, our children will miss out on a diverse range of inspiring, intelligent role models. 

Our articles and activities will help you and your child replace the influence of celebrity culture and celebrities in advertisements with more empowering messages, protecting their body confidence as they grow.

Start reading and sharing with your child today – you have nothing to lose but the appearance ideals.

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  • Supporting her personal style in the face of peer pressure
    Teach your daughter how to avoid peer pressure and celebrate individuality in her fashion and beauty choices, to develop her own unique sense of style.
    Average read time: 4mins read

    As children get older, the pressure to abandon their personal style in favour of peer-approved fashion choices increases. How can you help your daughter resist negative peer pressure, and stay true to her own unique sense of style?

    read more Supporting her personal style in the face of peer pressure
  • Uniquely Me resources for parents
    Uniquely Me: A tool to help build positive body confidence in your child
    Start here, use our parent’s resource Uniquely Me to boost your child's self-esteem.
    Average read time: 3mins read

    As a parent, it’s natural to want the best for your child – for them to be happy, healthy and confident individuals. 

    But that’s sometimes easier said than done, especially during the teen and pre-teen years when their bodies are changing, their self-confidence is fragile and they are trying to make that tricky transition out of childhood. 

    read more Uniquely Me: A tool to help build positive body confidence in your child
  • What is low body confidence?
    Dove is helping parents & teachers support young people to be more body confident, with body image articles, advice & confidence tips to fight low self-esteem.
    Average read time: 4mins read

    Low body confidence can be hard to identify and even harder to address, which is why Dove is on a mission to help everyone support young people to be more body confident.

    read more What is low body confidence?
  • Show your child the benefits of exercise
    As well as boosting teen fitness, exercise is great for teen mental health, self-confidence and body image. Use our advice and tips to get your child moving
    Average read time: 4mins read

    The benefits of exercise go far beyond the physical. Discover the scientific facts about the positive link between exercise and body image, and give your child the exercise bug, with our action checklist.

    read more Show your child the benefits of exercise
  • Women in music videos: press pause on female stereotypes
    Help your child challenge the 'perfect' body shape and stereotypes of women they see in music videos – and boost their body confidence in the process.
    Average read time: 5mins read

    Music videos are increasingly sexualising and objectifying women, as research from institutes including the American Psychological Association and the UK’s Home Office has shown. So we’ve put together an action checklist to help you start a conversation with your child about how women are portrayed in music videos.

    read more Women in music videos: press pause on female stereotypes
  • Celebrity culture: sorting reality from hyper-reality
    Is your child obsessed with celebrities or reality shows? Use our action checklist to counter celebrity influence and help them develop a healthy self-image.
    Average read time: 4mins read

    Young people today are surrounded by a celebrity culture that's hard to compete with and could have a negative impact on their self-image. Celebrity influence is everywhere, from style magazines to Twitter, Snapchat, the world of 'reality' TV and airbrushed images. How is your child coping?

    read more Celebrity culture: sorting reality from hyper-reality
  • Women in the media: give the stereotypes a makeover
    Women in the media: give the stereotypes a makeover
    Explore the portrayal of women in media with your daughter, and together give the stereotypes a makeover to help her become more media-savvy and body confident
    Average read time: 5mins read

    Worried that all your daughter ever sees in magazines and on screen are unrealistic images of ‘perfect’ women? Our fun activity plan will let you both give the stereotypes a makeover.

    read more Women in the media: give the stereotypes a makeover

Hello beautiful

When it comes to your body, love the one you're with

Beauty is an all-ages show

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Be your beautiful self