Men's role in the Egyptian feminist movement

David Kirkpatrick describes the women's rights issues in Egypt in this January New York Times article. Mozn Hassan, the executive director of Nazra for Feminist Studies, a group which is protesting for women's rights, expressed her frustration that the participants in a past march had to be protected by men. Hassan may be right to worry that calling on men to protect them reinforces the strong patriarchy the group is trying to temper, but I don't think she should limit her resources by not allowing men to help the group. I think it's great that there's a group of men working with the women, and Hassan needs that support or her goal of stopping the abuse of women (traditionally by men in the Egyptian military) will be much more difficult, and longer in coming. Many of the men are husbands and fathers concerned for the welfare of their wives and daughters. I say, good for them! Egypt needs them!