Egyptian Teen Bassant Khalid
Earlier this month news, Bassant Khalid committed suicide in Egypt after being blackmailed with deep fake photos. The news was devastating to the Egyptian public, and her death was met with shock and disgust. Egyptians stood by the 17-year-old, and many condemned the young men who blackmailed Bassant. Others also demanded their arrest.
Heartbroken and devastated, Bassant left a handwritten note to her mother saying: “Mom, please believe me. The girl in those pictures isn’t me. These pictures were photoshopped. I swear. I’m a little girl, mom. I don’t deserve this. I’m depressed, and I feel like I’m suffocating. I’m tired. It’s not me, you raised me better than this.”
Since Bassant’s death, I have been struggling accepting the public’s reaction in Egypt. Egyptians said they expressed sympathy with Bassant because the photos that the men used to blackmail her were photoshopped. But, there’s something very wrong with that statement. What if the photos were real? Would Egyptian media outlets cover her death objectively, or would they say her photos were “scandalous?” Would Egyptian still sympathize with her?
When photos of other women are leaked or published online, the same Egyptian public that stood by Bassant is the first to judge and condemn these women. Many women in Egypt whose real photos were leaked also ended their lives, while others fled the country, or were killed by their male relatives. The idea of blackmailing a woman with photos or any other private matter is not new to our patriarchal societies. Men in African and Middle eastern communities believe that they have the power to threaten girls because we live in “honor-based” societies that allow them to get away with this behavior.
In Egypt, it is believed that a woman’s existence and actions are tied to the honor of her father, brother, or the people in her life – her body is believed to belong to her community. That’s precisely why men have the audacity to blackmail women: they believe they can ruin women’s reputation and so-called family honor. Whether Bassant’s photos were real or not, that resulted in her taking her own life. If we address the root causes of the misogynistic beliefs and cultures, we might be able to protect women and girls, like Bassant.
If we teach girls that they have rights and autonomy over their bodies, this wouldn’t happen nearly as much as it does today across Africa or the Middle East. As an Egyptian woman, I myself have been a victim of blackmailing and it put me through hell. When I was just 15-years-old, I was living in Saudi Arabia. One day, I was wearing a swimsuit at a swimming pool with my girlfriends. Someone took my photos and spread them at my school without my consent. I was continuously threatened and slut-shamed. I never knew why I was being blackmailed. Although I did nothing wrong, at the time I was convinced that I had done something shameful.
At the time, the bullying and blackmailing made me afraid. No one at my school stood by me, and even my school teachers who were supposed to be role models shamed me. This photo was a nightmare for me. I used to cry myself to sleep because a boy decided to create a fake account to blackmail and slut-shame me. I was a minor and I lived three years of hell of my childhood crying, depressed, and suicidal – all because of a silly one-piece swimsuit photo.
Growing up with this kind of trauma is devastating, I blamed my body, I blamed my own skin, and I hated myself. I believed that my body was a taboo that should be hidden, or otherwise my whole life would be ruined. Until one day I managed to stand up for myself and ignore the threats with the help of my mom, who stood by my side and made me feel safe again.
Sadly, I still meet men who have the audacity to try and slut-shame or blackmail me. In our honor-based societies, the blackmailing and slut-shaming never ends. The only thing that can change is how we respond to such attacks on our personal sovereignty and bodily autonomy. We need to protect young girls and create safe spaces for them. Growing up with such trauma is not easy, and living with it is even more difficult. Imagine a child being blackmailed and has no one to go to – and, in most cases, parents are the reason of the child’s fear. Some parents do not believe or stand by their daughters – whether the photos are fake or real. We need to call on governments to take harsh measures against perpetrators who blackmail women and girls. Educational systems and staff should also be held accountable for shaming young girls for their clothing, instead of creating safe space for them to learn, heal, and grow.
Today, I know that I have bodily autonomy and that no one has the slightest right to control, shame, or force anything upon me. I will protect my bodily autonomy at all costs, but 15-year-old me did not know this. This is my message to all young girls: I understand what you are going through, and I feel you. Do not be ashamed or scared.
Teenager Bassant Khalid’s Suicide Highlights the Brutality of Slut-Shaming Culture in Egypt
Egyptian Teen Bassant Khalid
Earlier this month news, Bassant Khalid committed suicide in Egypt after being blackmailed with deep fake photos. The news was devastating to the Egyptian public, and her death was met with shock and disgust. Egyptians stood by the 17-year-old, and many condemned the young men who blackmailed Bassant. Others also demanded their arrest.
Heartbroken and devastated, Bassant left a handwritten note to her mother saying: “Mom, please believe me. The girl in those pictures isn’t me. These pictures were photoshopped. I swear. I’m a little girl, mom. I don’t deserve this. I’m depressed, and I feel like I’m suffocating. I’m tired. It’s not me, you raised me better than this.”
Since Bassant’s death, I have been struggling accepting the public’s reaction in Egypt. Egyptians said they expressed sympathy with Bassant because the photos that the men used to blackmail her were photoshopped. But, there’s something very wrong with that statement. What if the photos were real? Would Egyptian media outlets cover her death objectively, or would they say her photos were “scandalous?” Would Egyptian still sympathize with her?
When photos of other women are leaked or published online, the same Egyptian public that stood by Bassant is the first to judge and condemn these women. Many women in Egypt whose real photos were leaked also ended their lives, while others fled the country, or were killed by their male relatives. The idea of blackmailing a woman with photos or any other private matter is not new to our patriarchal societies. Men in African and Middle eastern communities believe that they have the power to threaten girls because we live in “honor-based” societies that allow them to get away with this behavior.
In Egypt, it is believed that a woman’s existence and actions are tied to the honor of her father, brother, or the people in her life – her body is believed to belong to her community. That’s precisely why men have the audacity to blackmail women: they believe they can ruin women’s reputation and so-called family honor. Whether Bassant’s photos were real or not, that resulted in her taking her own life. If we address the root causes of the misogynistic beliefs and cultures, we might be able to protect women and girls, like Bassant.
If we teach girls that they have rights and autonomy over their bodies, this wouldn’t happen nearly as much as it does today across Africa or the Middle East. As an Egyptian woman, I myself have been a victim of blackmailing and it put me through hell. When I was just 15-years-old, I was living in Saudi Arabia. One day, I was wearing a swimsuit at a swimming pool with my girlfriends. Someone took my photos and spread them at my school without my consent. I was continuously threatened and slut-shamed. I never knew why I was being blackmailed. Although I did nothing wrong, at the time I was convinced that I had done something shameful.
At the time, the bullying and blackmailing made me afraid. No one at my school stood by me, and even my school teachers who were supposed to be role models shamed me. This photo was a nightmare for me. I used to cry myself to sleep because a boy decided to create a fake account to blackmail and slut-shame me. I was a minor and I lived three years of hell of my childhood crying, depressed, and suicidal – all because of a silly one-piece swimsuit photo.
Growing up with this kind of trauma is devastating, I blamed my body, I blamed my own skin, and I hated myself. I believed that my body was a taboo that should be hidden, or otherwise my whole life would be ruined. Until one day I managed to stand up for myself and ignore the threats with the help of my mom, who stood by my side and made me feel safe again.
Sadly, I still meet men who have the audacity to try and slut-shame or blackmail me. In our honor-based societies, the blackmailing and slut-shaming never ends. The only thing that can change is how we respond to such attacks on our personal sovereignty and bodily autonomy. We need to protect young girls and create safe spaces for them. Growing up with such trauma is not easy, and living with it is even more difficult. Imagine a child being blackmailed and has no one to go to – and, in most cases, parents are the reason of the child’s fear. Some parents do not believe or stand by their daughters – whether the photos are fake or real. We need to call on governments to take harsh measures against perpetrators who blackmail women and girls. Educational systems and staff should also be held accountable for shaming young girls for their clothing, instead of creating safe space for them to learn, heal, and grow.
Today, I know that I have bodily autonomy and that no one has the slightest right to control, shame, or force anything upon me. I will protect my bodily autonomy at all costs, but 15-year-old me did not know this. This is my message to all young girls: I understand what you are going through, and I feel you. Do not be ashamed or scared.
The Author
Esraa Wagih