A video of a teacher dancing in Egypt sparked major outrage over women’s rights in the country. 

Aya Youssef, the woman in the video, was recorded without her consent when she went on a trip for teachers on a Nile cruise in Cairo. The clip, which shows Youssef belly-dancing, upset conservationists and led to her being sacked from her job, according to a report by Egypt Independent. 

Soon after the video went viral, her husband decided to divorce her.

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In a statement to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Youssef, a native of Mansoura city, said, “My life was destroyed because of the video from an unscrupulous person who tried to tarnish my reputation and brought the camera close to me only to show me in a bad manner. I really made a mistake because I was happy and played with people who were not honest. People bullied and insulted me. I lost my job, my husband, my home, and my mother got sick. My family was impacted by what happened.”

She cried as she said, “People addressed hurtful words to my mother and my family, even though they raised me well. Laughing and playing doesn’t make a bad person of me. I was acting spontaneously and was laughing and joking with my colleagues at work and in front of their families and wives because it was all in good fun. I tell the people who lashed me that I was in an open place playing around like a lot of people doing so.”

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The viral video featured her wearing a headscarf, full-sleeved blouse and trousers as she danced with her male colleagues.  

The outrage it sparked among conservatists was fiercely countered by women’s rights activists. People commented on the video saying, “She did nothing wrong! Help each and every woman to be treated as a human being. She can do whatever she wants.”

Another supporter wrote, “It’s absolutely crazy that she lost her job because of this…and I find it outrageous that her husband decided to divorce her. She did nothing wrong and was just having a bit of fun which everyone is entitled to do. She needs all the support people are prepared to give her.”

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The head of the Egyptian Centre for Women’s Rights, Dr Nihad Abu Qumsan, offered her a job in her office and proposed to help her file a legal complaint against her dismissal, according to a BBC report. 

The Education Directorate of Daqahlia intervened and helped get a job as an Arabic language teacher in one of the experimental language schools.

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“The decision of the Education Directorate in Daqahlia to return me to my work made me I feel that part of my life began to return to its nature and that part of my dignity was recovered. I wish everything returns to its nature and people do not set themselves as judge and executioner at the same time,” she said.