Visions of matriarchal utopia may be wishful thinking, but there’s growing evidence of women wielding power Visions of matriarchal utopia may be wishful thinking, but there’s growing evidence of women wielding power T here is a stubborn and widely held idea that in some earlier phase of our species’ existence, women had equal status to men, or even ruled, and societies were happier and more peaceful for it. Then along came the patriarchy, and much bloodshed and oppression later, here we all are.