To use physical force or psychological fear and pressure to make your partner submissive is abusive and has none of the qualities of trust, dignity, or respect that characterize a loving relationship. Submission implies that one sex is better than another and has certain rights to make demands of the other. Equality implies a balance of power. Submission means the loss of personal rights and personal control over one's own actions, thoughts and feelings. Submission is degrading.
Mutual respect is life-giving.
Fear is the dominant feeling in a relationship based on submission. The dominant feeling in a relationship based on mutual respect is safety. Trust cannot grow without the element of safety. Being a submissive female in a relationship represents a loss of personal freedom to make choices and the loss of the opportunity to discover the very best in oneself. It also diminishes that opportunity for self-discovery in the male partner because he is not challenged to be all that he can be.