Women activists have used topless protest in a campaign against patriarchy . Journalist Bim Ali says the group 's message of equality is good and true . In electing not to wear a headscarf , I have exercised that right , and not all of the women who wear scarves have the luxury of that choice . But she says treating women as ` ` helpless '' and ` ` hapless '' robs them of agency . It is not up to them to ` ` free '' the women of the Middle East and Africa , she says .
Women activists have used topless protest in a campaign against patriarchy . Journalist Bim Ali says the group 's message of equality is good and true . But she says treating women as ` ` helpless '' and ` ` hapless '' robs them of agency . It is not up to them to ` ` free '' the women of the Middle East and Africa , she says .