By taking the lead, doesn't she mean that he is taking initiative as well ? I can always tell what a person feel and mean. If she said that he is taking the lead and taking the initiative, then it really means that the OP truly wanted this kind of setup to begin with and that she is happy about it. Whereas it is obvious that this is not the same desire for other posters who do not agree with the "taking the lead" comment, and they used more negative comments like "submissive" and "inequality" and so forth.
I too wish to be in the OP's shoes actually. I have also done things the hard way is how I see it. I go into work, and I get berated and not appreciated. It is very different to be appreciated by your loved ones, than to be "respected casually" by random strangers or random people who do not care all that much for you to be honest, as long as you fix their problem for them, then they would not complain. People in the workplace would want your job above theirs and always compete, and they do not always appreciate or show kindness. There is a difference somewhat.
I know that in this day and age, this kind of setup is known as "traditional" in this country, but to be honest, I was raised by a working mother too, and who was also a housewife before too. So yes, I do appreciate that this is and should not be a case of "either/or". If the time is right, and that a woman want to feather the nest or to see her young children grow up, then she should be given this opportunity to do so, and not always to actually step and follow that equality rule for equality sake. Why throw away your own happiness for the same of being respected by others who are not in your own shoes and can never phantom the desire to be close to your children and loved ones ? I actually quite detest the displacement of others' expectation on me jut because a few women did this in the past. My mother did things differently, so whatever "feminism" or not, it truly does not apply to us. Definitely not so in my family. She was a working girl for family's business, and then was a SAHM, and then worked also in a business with my dad. Times were good because she at least had a chance to spend it with her children. I shall always appreciate this.
Feminism in the UK back then was really not to do with other women doing other things across the world, but it was about a set group of women, and their politics in this country. Whether it could have gone this way or it went another way, it is all remain to be seen. Sometimes when I talk to some ladies, they too would want to see their children grow up and that they be a SAHM. I do not see anything wrong with this personally. I wish I had the gumption to say to other people when I was young to "sod off" and not influence my thinking. Cos I really regret this now being childrenless, and missed a lot of opportunities to be with someone and have kids. This really hurts the most. This kind of self regret can never leave one's heart. Regardless of whatever political climate exists in this country.