@adam-l Yes the problem is that ultimately men lack authority these days. The law and western culture (which the law only reflects) forbid men to have authority and give it instead to women.

You can act assertive and hope she likes it. This is however, basically LARPing. In the end any time she wants to end the LARP, she just says "Stop or its abuse" and you either make a rapid change tail between your legs or you lose big time.

In the end what male leadership means these days is you are allowed steer the ship where she wants it to go. You had better be at the helm in any poor weather too or you are a let down. Make sure the ship is up together and load good supplies too. Don't ask her to swab the decks, be a gentleman. When the sun comes out you can put her out a deck chair and organise the band to play for her. You can have the captain's hat if you don't get bigger than the boots she cuts for you but this is not a trade ship its a fucking cruise ship and if you are thinking of quitting, remember Princess owns the deeds to "your" ship.

Any veneer of male authority is just that a veneer. Anyone who thinks that if you have the red pill then you can out alpha her, is not understanding the dynamics of LTRs where short term tricks mean nothing. If she likes you being all alpha for her to stand behind and be led by in the dance of her being amazing, it will be fine being all alpha but in the end if you are not going her way, she has the power to put you on the prison bus or the highway.