Dove and Steven Universe: Social media

We’re helping young people all around the world build body confidence and self-esteem so they can reach their full potential. As part of our mission, we want young people everywhere to learn the importance of being kind to themselves and others while navigating body image and social media. So, we’ve teamed up with Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe to create a series of six short animated films to help children understand how body positivity and social media are related. In Episode 5, Stevonnie explains how we can embrace the positives of social media, support each other and be our most authentic selves online.

We’ve partnered with award-winning show, Steven Universe. The show — which follows the magical Crystal Gems and their half-human, half-Gem “little brother” Steven — tackles topics of identity, inclusivity and body positivity. Every Dove-Self Esteem Project x Steven Universe episode covers important topics that will encourage young people to value their personalities and build self-esteem. So, if you’re wondering: how does social media affect body image? We’re here to help you navigate these kinds of themes with your children. If you’re worried about the impact of social media on your child’s body confidence, remind them that social media is often like a showreel of life’s best bits and encourage them to recognise that social media ‘friends’ or ‘followers’ aren’t necessarily true friends.

Working with experts from the fields of psychology, health and media, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has developed a range of resources to help guide parents and young people in talking about social media influence on body image. As well as helping you understand how your kids are feeling, our materials will help you teach them how to deal with social media affecting body image and how to counter its negative effect on their self-esteem.