215,694 girls say no to swimming this summer

WOW that's crazy! I must admit I do feel self conscious when I do go to the beach but it disappears after a few minutes and I'm not a big person either. Luckily my girls aged 7 & 9 haven't gone through that and won't.

Must read! my names are Esther leave! from US Austin Texas for a year now i have been living with this virus called HERPES All thanks to Dr Abaka for changing my HERPES Positive to Negative, i do not have much to say, but with all my life i will for ever be grateful to him and God Almighty for using Dr Abaka to reach me when i thought it is all over, today i am a happy woman after the medical doctor have confirmed my status Negative,i have never in my life believed that HERPES could be cure by any herbal medicine. so i want to use this medium to reach other persons who have this disease by testifying the wonderful herbs and power of Dr Abaka that all is not lost yet, try and contact him by any means with his email: drabakaspelltemple@gmail.com or phone him on whats app +2349063230051..

Acne (in my 20s) held me back from my business at first, otherwise nothing holds me back (appearance wise) now.

I agree with MissM19 - "Self confidence is a very important issue. The biggest problem is the media and how they portray beauty. It is very damaging"

As a schoolgirl and even today still, I am too embarrassed to show myself in a swimsuit. I am not overweight but am a pair shape with bigger thighs and hips and that makes me feel very uncomfortable.

It is so important for children to know how to swim (it could save their life one day or someone else's if they can help a potential drowning person) and this beauty / how one should look issue should not be a setback in children feeling comfortable to be seen in a swim suit.

I have seen a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old not wanting to take the towel away that was around her little body because she thought she was 'ugly and too fat' .

Self confidence is a very important issue. The biggest problem is the media and how they portray beauty. It is very damaging

Dove is really a lighthouse with their campaigns for girls/women. More power to them - and girls!

What a great campaign.

i can personally relate to this

great campaign. I have swam my whole life. Swimming is a great way to exercise, and it's quite upsetting that some girls are missing out

I went swimming yesterday for the first time in a year and a half. I hadn't been in so long for that very reason that was mentioned. In fact, I don't even own swimmers anymore. Its a shirt and tights for me now... hmm...

I don't like swimming at the beach, to look at it yes but to go into the sea and possibly get eaten by a shark is not appealing, our pool is much better for that reason :)

omg this is heart braking! who cares

That was me. I was a distance swimmer in primary school. Hit high school and started bringing forged notes to get out of it. It's not just about self esteem though. It is so hard to find bathers to suit my shape and it always has been.

I am a size 7, and would not try to claim I'm overweight.... but my body is certainly not "tight" and i have fairly bad cellulite on my thighs, bum and upper arms. i'm so embarrassed in my bathers on the beach. i usually just lie there sunbaking so the whole beach doesnt get to watch me walk to the water.... in all my cellu glory.

This is really sad to see :(

This sort of thing makes me feel so sad, for all those beautiful girls who should just be able to appreciate and accept that they are all beautiful in their own way. social media nor media in general don't at all make it easy on young girls. i felt the same way when i was a teenager id never go to school swimming carnivals or athletic carnivals because i was just too embarrassed of myself it was only when i left school and ventured into life that i realized that everyone is born differently and that's what makes each of us so beautiful beauty shouldn't be judged on the conventional look and to any human being with a normal working heart and brain become to realize this. im 21 and im not a size 8 im in fact a size 14 and i love my body, myself and all its flaws. I don't think you will ever be at peace with yourself if you don't just accept who you are, its beautiful to have and see self confidence.

This is a good ad! I personally avoid it because not only do I look pretty scary in a cozzie, my extremely pale skin burns to a crisp. Either way, Im not fussed. xD

Definitely as I was getting older through high school. I wasn't so bad to start with but then the bullying etc, I was glad when I finally got a choice towards the end of high school. I've only felt comfortable since probably when I first met my husband six years ago to give anything a go!

Amazing campaign!

Be confident ladies!

learn to always love themselves and respect others

Love Dove! xx

I applaud Dove for creating such beautiful advertising campaigns because they will hopefully help many people feel better about themselves. However, I have a bit of cynicism about Dove's motives.

I love this but thanks to the media it drills into our heads that we have to look a particular way to stand out. It makes women at a certain age feel invisable and if your not a size 6 then your considered alittle over, look what this does to our childrens minds. I barely watch T.V anymore because i dont want my girls to watch the crap on T.V.

My mum was always encouraging and when I was young never had an issue going to the pools or beach and putting on a swim suit.