According to the Oxford English Dictionary, matriarchy is a "form of social organization in which the mother or oldest female is the head of the family, and descent and relationship are reckoned through the female line; government or rule by a woman or women."

Yadda yadda.

Quick tale of lessons learned. In my past life, I dated a girl who claimed she was the 'matriarch' of her tight knit family. I, being naive, googled the term. Then I thought "Oh wow, this girl's a real catch. She's the top of her family, the leader. That means I must be just a notch above that if I was able to land her!"

... thus the hamstering began.

She would be seen planning family trips, friend's weddings, or taking care of younger family members. Many times, she would also be planning our trips or larger dates, such as to ballets and nights on the town.

I've found many women, not certainly all, but probably a bit over half, believe these are the heads of their social circle, household, or friends. Where this creates a problem is naturally, the male should be the head of the tribe. When it comes to dating and relationships, this mentality of the woman carries over.

Instead of a relationship where the man is leading, the woman finds it her job not to follow, but to try to control and butt heads with the man, thus creating a potentially firecracker situation in many cases. This is closely linked the 'princess' mentality where the girl believes everything is for her and she is entitled to 'royalty' in her life without contribution.

On the flip side, I have also had a relationship with a generally submissive girl (yes, even in bed). I can say this lasted for a solid 4 years and even looking back on it post-TRP, it was probably my most successful and enjoyable. In dating, hanging out, and in anything we enjoyed together, it was best having one person lead and the other follow, giving input and feedback. The captain and first mate scenario often mentioned here. The captain respects his first mate's input, but ultimately makes the decisions.

In conclusion, watch out for 'matriarchal' type women. Have your fun, but do no pursue LTRs with these individuals. It will be a constant struggle to see who's on top and in control, thus creating unneeded tension in your life in general. They will almost always end badly, even for very alpha oriented men.