Is it unrealistic for a matriarchy in today’s society? When you live in a man’s world, or a patriarchal society, for as long as we have (anthropologists say it’s been around 10,000 years), it might be unsurprising that there’s been a lot of recent talk online about what a more matriarchal society would look like in our time. Some think it’s already happening. After all, women now outnumber men not only in Bachelor’s degrees, but in Master’s and doctoral degrees as well.

A new Center for American Progress analysis shows that large shares of working women, both mothers and married women without children, continue to be breadwinners for their families. Women have also been the leaders of change in the past and present history.

Whatever the case, this idea may be considered “revolutionary” in the human world, but animals among us have had lady leaders since the beginning of time, and maybe we could learn a thing or two from nature. 

Matriarchy In Meerkats

Considered one of the clearest examples of female dominance among mammals. In meerkat society, a dominant female meerkat is in charge. She growls, bites, and pushes to keep others in line. She has absolute power over her subordinates, who have to help raise her pups (the dominant female is the only one allowed to breed). When the dominant female dies, she is replaced by one of the oldest and biggest females of the group.

Matriarchy In Spotted Hyenas

Hyenas run in clans of up to 120-130. All led by a dominant female who is larger, stronger, and more aggressive than any of the males. These clans are almost run like a royal family in the sense that the daughter cub of this dominant female gains a high social rank at birth (a little hyena princess, if you will). However, even the lowest-ranking adult female in the clan outranks the highest-ranking male.

What’s more unique about the spotted hyena hierarchy is that it’s not all stamped by social order; biology plays a role. Female spotted hyenas possess elevated levels of a testosterone-like trait that contributes to their superior size, muscular build, and high aggression.  

Matriarchy In Elephants

Elephant societies provide one of the clearest examples of matriarchal social organization in the animal kingdom. In both African and Asian elephant populations, family groups are led by a matriarch, usually the oldest and most experienced female. What’s even more interesting is that these family units are usually all related females! Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and their young offspring. Adult males generally leave the family group when they reach adolescence and spend much of their lives alone or in loose associations with other males. 

The matriarch plays a vital role in the survival and success of the herd. Her leadership is based not on physical dominance alone but on knowledge and experience accumulated over many years. She remembers the locations of water sources, feeding grounds, and safe migration routes, information that becomes especially valuable during droughts or periods of environmental stress. In a sense, elephant matriarchs are the griots in their herds. 

Knowledge, physical strength, a strong sense of community, and the undeniable power of reproduction are all facts we see in the animal kingdom, and don’t forget, humans (women specifically) are a part of this kingdom as well.

One of the goals of patriarchy is to create the illusion that women can’t master their emotions enough to be a leader (even though the current Commander in Chief just stormed out of an interview), or don’t have the intelligence necessary. Not only is that a false claim about women in general, but nature begs to differ as well.

I don’t think a matriarchy in the society we live in is too far off while we currently battle a global femicide. As a matter of fact, it’s probably necessary. Especially when we visit the many examples of matriarchy in the wild.