The dominant man<–>submissive woman is the strongest magnet in the known universe. The submissive man<–>submissive woman or the dominant man<–>dominant woman are the weakest bonds. In warped sexual markets, the submissive man<–>dominant woman couple can work — for a while — but it’s a coupling of egoistic convenience rather than one of passion. Its bond is reliable enough for tax purposes but also weak, and marked by frequent resentments that can provoke unfaithfulness.

The current Western sexual market is riven with submissive man<–>dominant woman couples, which doesn’t bode well. It’s why assortative mating along arid criteria like credentials and political ideology are the norm now instead of the exception, and why mating along hot wet passionate criteria like masculine-feminine frisson and provider-nurturer sex-based roles is becoming less the norm and more the exceptional act of rebellion.

Hard times will bring back the ideal Darwinian bond of strong men coupling with submissive women.