Photo: Hyku
Maya Diab is the latest celebrity to take a public stance against bullying. Earlier this month, the Lebanese singer was among the guests at Vogue Arabia’s star-studded Ball of Arabia at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, where she caught up with Petra Narch, the reporter of The Insider Show on Dubai TV to answer a few questions. During the red carpet interview, Diab was questioned about a recent anti-bullying video she uploaded onto her InstaStories.
In the video, the superstar condemns both the press and users on social media who often use their respective platforms to criticize celebrities and artists. “We can’t ignore it,” she states. She goes on to add that celebrities are all too often recipients of online harassment from users who take to the comment section to spew all kinds of verbal abuse, an issue that is usually just swept under the rug. Diab notes that this is an important matter and should be treated as such.
The superstar revealed that she uploaded the video in support of the anti-bullying campaigns sweeping through Lebanon and the wider Arab world. She went on to admit that she thinks social media serves as a major breeding ground for harassment— a sentiment shared by the likes of Gigi Hadid and Ariana Grande’s ex Pete Davidson, who last week stated “The Internet is an evil place and it doesn’t make me feel good.”
The recent wave of anti-bullying campaigns in the region are a response to the tragic death of 18-year-old Egyptian student Iman Saleh, who took her own life after experiencing verbal abuse and psychological harassment from her peers at school. The sad news managed to elicit outrage and condemnation from parents, teachers, and celebrities, who hope to raise awareness on the ongoing issue.
Other celebrities to call out cyber-bullies recently include Amina Khalil, Tara Emad, and UNICEF Egypt Ambassadors actors Ahmed Helmy and Mona Zaki, among others.
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