"Male Headship is NOT a core value of the SDA faith. It does not appear anywhere in our 28 "fundamental" beliefs. It has never been voted in a GC Session."

This should be repeated more often:  Headship is NOT one of FB's of the church and has never been voted on.

That being true, why does any one or any conference need to ask permission to "do the right thing"?   The right thing for one part of the world at a certain time, may not be   the right thing for in another situation.  Recall that EGW advised when of Adventists were first introduced in the Southern States where the African-Americans did not mingle with the Caucasians; if the SdA leaders had tried to erase all differences then, it would have greatly curtailed their evangelistic efforts.  Doing the right thing also depends on the time and circumstances.  Equality was instituted by God in Eden when man and woman were first created and was restored by the NT Christians.