How would a matriarchal society fetishize female power?

[Trick]

On the other hand, all-out war, on a controlled scale, could be a way that matriarchal societies might keep male populations in check and lessen the likelihood of males coming together to use their greater average physical strength to overturn the existing order.

A good thought! However, the OP states that the population is already 1 to 5, men to women so they may not want to waste valuable sperm donors

 

[Steerpike]

A good thought! However, the OP states that the population is already 1 to 5, men to women so they may not want to waste valuable sperm donors

Yeah, true. Might not work in that case. But maybe in another story

I like the Charles de Lint quote. In fact, I'm reading one of his novels right now.

 

[Trick]

Yeah, true. Might not work in that case. But maybe in another story

I like the Charles de Lint quote. In fact, I'm reading one of his novels right now.

Thank you, I keep it as my signature to remind myself more than anything else.

Addition: Steerpike's idea did throw a cool concept out there. Distracting brutish men of small intelligence requires sports (only small offense intended) so perhaps Feo's friend would want to consider gladiatorial type games for the men, just not to the death. If a woman were to sponsor each challenger, the amount of men she sponsored would be a status symbol of sorts. These men would likely also be her bedfellows, thus inspiring more men to compete for her attentions...

 

[Feo Takahari]

One thing I should probably have mentioned way earlier: the tech level may be Industrial Revolution, but in terms of how sexist folks are, it seems to be closer to alterna-nineties or even alterna-nowadays. Sexism is a fact of life, but it's a matter of casual assumptions more than institutions, and many characters who participate in what could be termed "female gaze" are otherwise relatively egalitarian. (Other characters do seem to be straight-up sexist, but it's probably not a society where you could say things like that openly--you'd have to use coded language and other folks' assumptions.) I'm thinking I'll recommend that the author play up the sexism a bit more in the rewrite, but it would probably be a mistake to make it alterna-fifties or worse. That would make the story about the sexism, and it seems to be more about the dating scene and what it's like to be in love at a young age, with matriarchy instead of patriarchy as a way to undermine some assumptions.

(Though it could be worth establishing that they had their alterna-fifties some time in the past. Maybe the recent opening of borders brought more egalitarian thoughts from overseas.)