This year, recognizing International Women’s Month as an avenue to celebrate women across the globe in the never-ending climb toward gender equity, global beauty brand Dove is highlighting a particularly underserved community of Filipina women: athletes.
The Filipina athlete has always faced several challenges: Unequal opportunities, the lack of infrastructure to hone young talents, to name a few. But the heaviest cross to bear for our Filipina athletes is a battle that isn’t visible to the naked eye. It is, in fact, the Invisible Game against body insecurity, the #1 reason that girls quit sports.
Dove’s mission this year, as part of its almost seven-decade crusade to uplift women, is to spotlight The Invisible Game. This started off strong with a digital video underscoring how The Invisible Game is experienced even among athletes with achievement and renown. The video juxtaposes the strength and raw talent of women on the court with the internal struggles our athletes face as soon as they step off it.
Featuring pro volleyball player Michelle Cobb, Philippine National Football Team player Inna Palacios, and former Philippine National Gymnastics Team Member Sofia Gonzalez, the video ends with a simple call to action: “The game the crowd doesn’t see is the toughest one to win. So when self-criticism drags us down, help us raise our arms.”
The video only marks the beginnings of Dove’s efforts. To herald International Women’s Month, Dove gathered over 60 Filipina athletes proudly celebrating and embracing their respective “opponents” in their own Invisible Game–body insecurities that ended up being distinctive assets that enabled them to excel in their sport. The posts also ended with echoes of the same call to action of enjoining other female athletes to embrace their bodies and continue making their marks in their respective sports.
In each photo, their winning looks are complete with “Invisible Wins” in the form of medals and trophies that serve as reminders of how they triumphed over their own Invisible Game.
To further highlight the importance of building communities in achieving its mission, Dove has also forged a partnership with Atleta Filipina, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of young Filipina athletes through various initiatives, such as interactive clinics, training sessions, and creating a community of Filipina athletes supporting each other.
As the organization and the brand join forces, Dove girls as young as four years old came together for a Spartans Boxing Club event at Atleta Filipina’s StrongHER Together: Women’s Empowerment Day to mark International Women’s Day.
“Dove is unwavering in its commitment to do the work in keeping every woman seen, heard, and celebrated—especially as we aim to uplift the Filipina athlete community by shedding light on an issue that has long since plagued our female athletes,” Shantel Gruenberg, Assistant Brand Manager for Dove Deos, noted. “Our efforts will not end in March, and we see this as just the beginning of creating a better, stronger, more visible community of Filipina athletes in the future.”
Dove and Atleta Filipina will also be rolling out the first season of Atleta Filipina: She Speaks, a digital interview series that aims to celebrate the victories and battles won by Filipina athletes in their sports journeys. Throughout the season, guest athletes like Jia Morado and Denice Zamboanga will engage in candid conversations on their struggles, wins, and secrets to excellence that will inspire everyone to push limits, rise stronger, and win their own Invisible Games.
Join the call to help girls beat The Invisible Game. Visit https://www.bodyconfidentsport.com/ to learn more about Dove’s Body Confident Sport.
![](https://2ndopinion.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/300x250.png"")
