We all remember how hard it was being young. Along with all the other trials of growing up (fighting with siblings, being forced to eat broccoli, maths), the pressure to look beautiful and fit in seemed more important than ever. Today 71 percent of girls around the world feel pressure to be beautiful,* at a time when they should be at their most carefree.
But caring about the way we look is not something we are born with: we often learn it from the women around us. And chances are, you’re a role model even if you haven’t realised it. Though more than half of girls say their mum is their number one role model, a young girl has an average of three female role models in her life.** So whether you’re a mum, an aunt, a neighbour, coach or family friend, you have the opportunity to make a difference to her self-esteem. All it takes is some positivity.
So this is a call to arms for women everywhere: see the beauty in yourself, express it with confidence, and the girls watching you are likely to emulate it. Empowering the women of tomorrow is down to us - and the positive beauty legacy we leave them.
To help inspire women everywhere, we created Dove: Legacy, a new Dove video that reveals the opportunity all women have to make their beauty legacy a positive one for the next generation. We asked mums and their young daughters (7-10 years old) to individually write two lists: what they like about their bodies and what they don’t. What did we discover? Well we won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say that the two lists were remarkably similar…
We hope our film Dove: Legacy will show that all women have a role to play in inspiring the next generation to be confident and feel beautiful, by making sure their own beauty legacy is a positive one. After all, the way she feels about her beauty often starts with how you feel about yours. Will you share who you #FeelBeautifulFor?
Empowering the next generation - the Dove Self-Esteem Project
Dove is committed to helping girls everywhere improve their body confidence and self-esteem. Through the Dove Self-Esteem Project we’ve developed a self-esteem website for parents of girls aged 7-17 who want to help their daughters through the turbulent teen years, when feelings about beauty are developing.
We’ve also created self-esteem teaching resources that tackle these issues in a classroom setting, and a youth leaders guide, packed full of activities any mentor can do with a group. Through our global partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts we’ve created a special badge program called ‘Free Being Me’ that is now available across the world.
It’s our aim to reach 15 million young people with self-esteem building education by the end of 2015. We’ve reached over 13 million girls so far – together we can reach even more. Will you help us?
*Dove Girls’ Self Esteem Research 2010 and 2013
**Dove Global Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I have accomplished things that I am proud of and that is what gives me my confidence and my beauty."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
You aren’t meant to fade into the background."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Your worth has nothing to do with your weight."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
It was only when I realized that what makes you different and unique also makes you beautiful, that’s when my confidence grew."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
My beauty routine starts with embracing my own natural beauty and its uniqueness."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Real beauty to me means challenging yourself to do the things you can’t and showing yourself kindness along the way."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I have stopped trying so hard to fit in - my beautiful personality is written all over my face and that’s the only beauty I need."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I learned that beauty is from the heart, it’s all about kindness."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I don't often see dark skin in the media, and skin conditions even less so. I want everyone to see that being a Black woman with vitiligo is a source of resilience and pride."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Growing up as a transgender woman, I was pressured to change who I was to fit others' ideas about who a woman should be. Now I'm representing myself and my beauty on my own terms."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I want to shatter the stereotype that I need breasts to look like a woman. Choosing to live flat after my mastectomy has made be stronger and more confidenand that's truly beautiful."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I've carried three babies in this belly, and earned every grey hair. I want all mothers to see that their bodies are perfect just the way they are."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
There's a lot of pressure for women to 'act their age'. I want to show that aging means continually growing and experiencing life beautifully."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Femininity is often depicted as a formula - cut your hair like this, wear that. To me, it's about loving yourself fearlessly for who you are."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Growing up, I never saw women wearing hijabs in media & advertising. Now girls can see me, achieving my career goals and defining beauty on my own terms."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I grew up surrounded by narrow ideas about how a woman should look and what she could be. I’ve overcome those limits and make no apologies for embracing my ambition and my natural beauty."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I'm not worried about fitting into anyone else's ideas of beauty. As a brown-skinned multi-media creator, I want to redefine beauty to include all of us in the melanin pride community."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Women with Alopecia often feel that baldness will hold them back from realizing their full personal and professional potential. Showing the beauty of bald women helps open doors for us to opportunities that others take for granted."