There is no shortage of places in my life where there are women willing to tell me how to be a better man.
My wife and I were talking about this the other day, actually.
I had read an article about co-Masonry in the US and Europe, and I brought it up for her opinion (she's a Past Matron in the OES and a Past Worthy President in Beauceant). She told me that she liked the fact that there were places in the Masonic Family where it was all-men, mentioning a number of the arguments already mentioned in this thread. Her opinion ended with the idea that Masonry wouldn't really be Masonry if there were women in the Lodge.
Just thought I would share that.
TU
They are clandestine and not recognized. They call themselves "Masons", but in truth are far from it.
Disclosure: I'm am not a brother yet. Still waiting on the vote. Also, my opinion on women in fraternities is no, fraternities are men specific and to be otherwise would defeat much of the purpose.
I do love a good debate though, so food for thought...
I wonder if back in the day, the operative masons had this same exact discussion about speculative masons. In particular them saying "it's always been a fraternity for men doing literal masonry and it's been that way for years, why change?". Although the sense I get from hearing from others is that speculative was accepted about the time that less building projects in Europe lead to the decline of opeative masons, etc. So maybe I debated my own point. Still...
That's why there's Eastern Star & Rainbow. And you can participate with them!