Women in Freemasonry
The subject of women and Freemasonry is complex and without an easy explanation.
Traditionally, only men can be made Freemasons in regular Freemasonry.
Many Grand Lodges do not admit women because they believe it would break the ancient Masonic Landmarks. However,
there are many non-mainstream Masonic bodies that do admit both men and women or exclusively women.
Furthermore, there are many female orders associated with regular Freemasonry, such as : -
* Order of Women Freemasons
* Order of the Eastern Star
* Order of the Amaranth
* White Shrine of Jerusalem
* Social Order of Beauceant
* Daughters of the Nile
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), Grand Lodge of Scotland and all the Grand Lodges in the United States along with other Grand Lodges which are concordant in that regular tradition, do not formally recognize any Masonic body that accepts women.
eillen-grayThe UGLE has stated since 1998 that two English women’s jurisdictions are regular in practice, except for their inclusion of women, and has indicated that,
while not formally recognized, these bodies
may be regarded as part of Freemasonry, when describing Freemasonry in general.
In North America, women cannot become regular Freemasons per se, but rather join associated separate bodies, which are not Masonic in their content. These offer an extended social network around the Lodge and includes the Order of the Eastern Star, created in the United States in the mid-19th Century for adult close female relatives of Masons, and Rainbow Girls and Job’s Daughters, both for girls.
Mainstream Masonic Grand Lodges justify the exclusion of women from Freemasonry for several reasons. The structure and traditions of modern day Freemasonry is based from the operative medieval stonemasons of Europe. These operative masonic guilds did not allow women to join, because of the culture of the time.
Many Grand Lodges purpose that altering this structure would completely change freemasonry. Furthermore, mainstream Grand Lodges adhere to the masonic landmarks laid out in the early 18th century and are deemed unchangeable. One of these landmarks specify that women are not to be made a mason. Finally, mainstream masons swear “not to be present at the making of a woman a Mason” in their obligations.
Many masons believe that regardless of their opinions of women in masonry, they can not break their obligation.
Women in Freemasonry | Masonic Network Blog
