Women Led Relationships [CRACKED]
A female-led relationship or FLR, as the name suggests, is a relationship where a woman is in the dominant position, enjoying authority over her partner, and the man is considered a submissive partner. The woman makes all or most decisions regarding the relationship, exerts more authority over her male partner, and steers the relationship forward. A woman calls all the shots in an FLR, unlike the conventional romance where a man being is the dominant figure or both of them are treated equally. While this relationship has many benefits, it gets nowhere without discipline. In this post, we bring you everything you need to know about these relationships. Read on.
Women Led Relationships
In this millennial world, female-led relationships are quite common. Many couples are adapting to the changing times and breaking the traditional stereotypes. Several benefits of a female-led relationship include freedom of communication and expression, fewer conflicts, more time for love, better support, a content sex life, and more.
The fundamental difference between a femdom and a female-led relationship is the dominance in the sexual relationship. Femdom revolves around a dominatrix partnership where a woman is the more dominant one. Female-led relationships, on the other hand, emphasize equality and shared responsibilities in the relationship.
In general, men are physically stronger and able to dominate women. As a result, throughout history, most relationships between men and women have been male-led. The traditional role of the man has been as the head of household, decision-maker, breadwinner, and authority figure.
Although many couples still adhere to more male led-relationship roles, today, many women and men are opting for a different dynamic as a couple, one in which the woman is a leader in the power dynamic. They are choosing a female-led relationship.
There are also plenty of relationships where there is still a division of labor, responsibility, and power between the man and the woman, but these are no longer necessarily based on traditional gender stereotypes. In fact, they may flip those stereotypes completely.
Just as in a traditional, male-led partnership, there are variations within female-led relationships, and while there are no rules to how you run your romantic relationship, couples in female-led relationships will probably find they fit into one of the following categories.
In fact, after couples, who make up the majority of home buyers in the US, women are significantly more likely to buy a home than men. Single women account for 19% of home purchases, whereas single men only account for 9%. And that is in spite of a gender pay gap that sees the average woman earning significantly less than the average man.
Note: This term has traditionally been used specifically to describe heterosexual relationships between a man and a woman, but it can be adapted to refer to any relationship where the female-identifying partner takes the lead.
Furthermore, some people may be in an FLR to some extent without even realizing it or consciously labeling it, since some women will naturally take charge and some men may naturally follow suit, Zar says.
"However, as women are earning more and power dynamics in relationships are trending toward a more egalitarian approach, FLRs may become more integrated into the mainstream," says Kate Balestrieri, a licensed psychologist, certified sex therapist, and founder of Modern Intimacy.
In many cases, the flip of the traditional gender roles in heterosexual relationships is a big part of the appeal to be in an FLR for women and men who are tired of the narrative that society has fed us for so long. "Female-led relationships can feel like a very intentional way to disrupt the status quo," Zar says.
This type of relationship can be beneficial to both women and men, but it's possible for trouble to arise. Remember, consent is key, especially when exploring kink and power play in the bedroom. Always keep the line of communication open to make sure both partners feel comfortable in an FLR.
We describe the exact types of relationships below, but in summary, a female-led relationship can be a relationship where the man and the woman share chores and responsibilities equally, or a relationship where the man does whatever their partnered woman says.
Not only have these changes in society empowered women over the decades, thus making them question their traditional gender roles in a relationship, but they have also allowed men to question their own supposed inherent dominance or superiority over women, and whether this is actually the case.
The advantages of a female-led relationship for women are obvious. Women have been treated unfairly for centuries in male-led relationships, with these traditional relationships denying them an equal say in the partnership.
Female-led relationships are built on the foundation of honesty and transparency. These types of relationships require understanding from both partners, and the willingness to adapt to the needs of each individual.
History proves that women of all ages and origins were taken seriously and heralded as equal to men. Cleopatra, Empress Wu Zetian, and Elizabeth I are just a few examples of women who held unparalleled positions of power.
As mentioned above, women handle multitasking a lot better than men, and it is this ability to juggle many things at once that will help the relationship thrive and take the pressure off both parties.
When things run smoothly, there is no doubt that both parties will feel a higher sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. No one likes it when things are in shambles, and in most female-led relationships, there is no need to worry about things getting out of hand.
In the kink community, FLR specifically refers to an eroticized power dynamic wherein women have power over men in a relationship, whether sexually, financially, or in terms of day-to-day decision-making. But some people have begun to embrace the term as a sort of synonym for a feminist relationship or a relationship where the woman is the head of the household.
As a kink, FLR gets much of its excitement and thrill from turning traditional gender roles on their head, Jean explains. Where our society still tends to view men as dominant and women as submissive, FLR consciously flips the scripts and indulges in a power dynamic that places women on top.
That said, today's culture is thankfully starting to shed its old gender norms in general. It's becoming increasingly common for women to be the primary earners in their households and for relationships to seek more egalitarian grounds by consciously empowering the women in them. Nearly 30% of women in dual-income marriages make more money than their husbands, according to 2018 census data. It's also becoming common for women to take the reins in the bedroom, even outside the world of BDSM. While a dominant woman may have previously been seen as a rarity or a kinky fantasy, today it's much more mainstream.
If the FLR dynamic is something that's integral to your sexual or romantic relationships, Jean says it's important to communicate what you want early on in a potential relationship. "You don't have to lead with it necessarily, though you could."
A female-led relationship can be a form of kink or simply a way to make sure women are empowered in their relationships. There are many ways to experience an FLR, so communicate with your partners about what you're looking for and why so you can see if there's common ground to mutually explore.
Men get satisfaction from making their women happy, even if it takes handing over the reins to her. A big part of agreeing to this, though, is the sensual enjoyment of being dictated to by a badass and bossy woman. This is coupled with the fact that he might be naturally submissive, like beta males, and very okay serving you.
Men also seek this type of relationship to maximize peace and tranquility in the home. They understand that there can be power struggles, particularly with women who are keener on independence, equality, and control. Others willingly agree to a female-led relationship so the woman can dictate how she wants to be pleased.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the disparity in heterosexual relationships became even more obvious than it had been in the past. With kids not being in school and learning from home, the burden of keeping up a full-time job, being a full-time teacher, and doing the usual domestic tasks largely fell onto women. In some cases, women were forced to quit their jobs just to keep up with the demands at home. Some experts suggest that the impact COVID had on gender equality set women back 10 years (via New York Times).
Although it's disheartening to see progress move backward in any realm, there are ways, at least when it comes to our romantic relationships, that we can do something about it. While we may not be able to change the damage caused by COVID or how the world continues to thrive on the disparity between men and women, we can at least make conscious steps to take the upper hand at home.
Female-led relationships (FLRs) do stem from the BDSM community where power play is often at the center of kinky relationships (via The Body). But with FLRs, women being in control doesn't necessarily have to be in the bedroom. Instead, women can call all the shots in every corner of the relationship. And why not? Isn't it time for a change? If you ask your grandmother, she'd probably respond with a resounding YES.