Basma Boussil Faces Backlash After Speaking About Her Divorce

Moroccan singer Basma Boussil faced strong criticism from Egyptian social media users after she talked openly about her divorce from Egyptian artist Tamer Hosny.

Fez – Moroccan singer Basma Boussil has faced strong criticism from Egyptian social media users for talking openly about her divorce from Egyptian artist Tamer Hosny.

The backlash came mostly from women on social media. Many criticized her for speaking negatively about Tamer, dismissing her accusations against him as “arrogant” and “unfaithful.”

Some of the critics claimed that Tamer played a big part in her rise to fame, especially in the Arab world. They argued that he supported her in building her successful beauty brand, which now makes her a lot of money.

Others pointed out that Tamer had even helped her buy properties worth millions of dollars. In their eyes, he was a key figure in her success, and they felt she was wrong to attack him as she did.

In response, some Moroccan journalists and content creators have stood by Basma and defended her publicly.

They argued that some of Tamer’s fans were defending him only because of his fame and nationality, and not because they truly knew the truth.

Women should be allowed to speak out about the struggles they face in relationships, they stressed, saying it is unfair to silence them, especially when they are sharing their personal pain.

This has sparked a larger conversation about society’s expectations of how women should behave in relationships.

Society’s uncritical embrace of powerful men

Some have criticized the way people defend powerful men simply because of their status, while often ignoring the struggles of women.

The campaign to support Basma quickly gained momentum, with many Moroccan personalities rising to her defense.

In particular, many highlighted that this kind of criticism of women is common in the Arab world. As a result, they argued, more support should be given to women who speak up about their painful experiences.

Meanwhile, Basma shared more details about her difficult marriage on Al Mashhad channel’s Andi Sou’al podcast.

She confessed regretting marrying Tamer at the young age of 19, saying that her love for him led her to feel lost and confused.

“Love made me live in a state of confusion,” she stated. Basma made it clear that she had no plans to reunite with him, even though some people close to them had tried to mediate and bring them back together.

She explained how the marriage negatively impacted her self-esteem and confidence, leaving her unable to pursue her dreams.

“This marriage broke my confidence and destroyed my personality,” she stressed.

Staying silent amid mental struggle

Basma also spoke about painfully navigating numerous mental health struggles during the marriage.

“I was living in a constant state of destruction,” she said. “I was taking a lot of medication and sleeping 20 hours straight while crying non-stop.”

She explained that she might have reached a breaking point had it not been for her father’s support.

Basma also reflected on the pressures she faced after being married at such a young age. Love meant she had to obey her husband in everything, even to the point of losing herself, she recalled. “No woman should allow her husband to control her future and make all the decisions for her,” Basma said.

She announced her divorce from Tamer Hosny in April 2023, after 12 years of marriage. The couple has three children together, and their separation has been widely discussed in both the Moroccan and Egyptian media.

Many continue to debate whether Basma was right to speak out or if she should have stayed silent about her personal struggles.

Nonetheless, the campaign to support her shows the growing conversation about the importance of women’s voices in the Arab world.