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Can a woman be a Freemason?
- Thread starter Monica
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32nd is the goal
Registered User
The Eastern Star is umbrella under masonry, this will be a great organization to get involved in.
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Oscar Delta
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[video=youtube;XNGhRDiNNZo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNGhRDiNNZo[/video]
It depends where you live.
BryanMaloney
Premium Member
It depends upon whether one is in a Regular or bogus organization...
I suppose it depends what you choose to call a "bogus organisation". Here in England (the UK) there is the Order of Women Freemasons and the Honourable Fraternity of Antients Freemasons that have both been making women Masons for more than 100 years. In 1999 the UGLE (my Grand Lodge) made the following statement about them:
There exist in England and Wales at least two Grand Lodges solely for women. Except that these bodies admit women, they are, so far as can be ascertained, otherwise regular in their practice. There is also one which admits both men and women to membership. They are not recognised by this Grand Lodge and intervisitation may not take place. There are, however, discussions from time to time with the women's Grand Lodges on matters of mutual concern. Brethren are therefore free to explain to non-Masons, if asked, that Freemasonry is not confined to men (even though this Grand Lodge does not itself admit women). Further information about these bodies may be obtained by writing to the Grand Secretary.
The Board is also aware that there exist other bodies not directly imitative of pure antient Masonry, but which by implication introduce Freemasonry, such as the Order of the Eastern Star. Membership of such bodies, attendance at their meetings, or participation in their ceremonies is incompatible with membership of this Grand Lodge.
Just to ensure clarity amongst my American brethren the UGLE was NOT talking about Co-Masonic bodies but those 2 Grand Lodges in Britain that admit women ONLY.
Co-Masonry is totally No-Go! It fails the "regularity test" set by my Grand Lodge on several of the published requirements.
The OES is a completely different kettle of fish as it is a mixed gender organisation that requires Freemasons to act in their capacity as a Freemason but outside of a proper Masonic situation. It is not acceptable either here under the UGLE or under the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
BryanMaloney
Premium Member
OES didn't start in the UK...
As a member of the OES, I'm more than quite aware that the OES did not start in England, but was developed by Rob Morris while he was living in Mississippi. My original point was that some American Masons might find it interesting that the UGLE seems to have more problems with an appendant body with women in it than a body of women actually working the blue lodge degrees themselves. Thanks to Brother Martin, we have an explanation as to the UGLE's objection to the OES, but as before, American Masons (on the surface, at least) might find it confusing, considering how female masonry (mixed or not) is viewed here in the States.
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I might be wrong but if I remember rightly you (in the US) don't have the women-only variety you have only the Co-Masonic or mixed gender Lodges, either Le Droit Humain or the American Federation of Human Rights.
It might interest you to know that Co-Masonry shares the same roots of origin as the OES, both came out of the French Rite de Adoption practised by French Lodges during the 1700s.
It might interest you to know that Co-Masonry shares the same roots of origin as the OES, both came out of the French Rite de Adoption practised by French Lodges during the 1700s.
dfreybur
Premium Member
There is a female-only lodge that meets in Los Angeles. When I searched for others I found several. If I found them all it appears that in all of the US there are enough to form about two districts.
I always found Macoy's attempts at forming an androgynous American three degree system after taking the reins of the OES from Rob Morris to be interesting. He planned on using the OES as the first degree, with the Queen of the South as the second, and The Order of the Amaranth as the third. Needless to say, the established OES chapters rebelled at the thought of becoming just a stepping stone in any such system, while the Amaranth didn't like the idea of their potential membership being reduced by a third (or more), with the whole idea being finished off by the inability of the Queen of the South to gain any traction whatsoever and shortly thereafter fading into oblivion.
However, Macoy's American Rite of Adoption did catch on with, and is still worked today as he intended by PHA Masons and their female relatives (along with the Heroines of Jericho, a RAM based androgynous order driven to extinction in mainstream American Freemasonry following the aftermath of the Morgan Affair).
However, Macoy's American Rite of Adoption did catch on with, and is still worked today as he intended by PHA Masons and their female relatives (along with the Heroines of Jericho, a RAM based androgynous order driven to extinction in mainstream American Freemasonry following the aftermath of the Morgan Affair).
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Levelhead
Premium Member
As long as you are related to or have heavy ties to a master mason in good standing with his lodge. Otherwise you cant join OES. At least in FL.
Tony Uzzell
Registered User
I've actually found that, in most States, the Masonic relationship requirement has gotten very watered-down. While many (probably most) female members fall into the original definitions of "wife, widow, mother, sister, or daughter", it has been spread out (in practice if not in theory) to include uncles, cousins, granddaughters, great-nieces, etc.
In fact, Rainbow Girls who have reached their eighteenth birthday and been a member of the IORG for three years are eligible without a Masonic relative. I would presume that Job's Daughters have a similar status in States where there is IOJD (Texas doesn't have IOJD any longer). At least that's what the rules are here.
TU
MoonlightMadness357
Premium Member
I've found in the PHA side of the house that there are sometimes open sessions where any female fitting the basic requirements minus a relative my be initiated into OES... I know for a fact it has occured in FL but I would check with your local lodge to be sure before petitioning
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