Does anybody have any good links to solid information on this subject? I was always under the impression that freemasons could only be male, however recently I've discovered that's not the case and I am very interested in finding out more.

I'm waiting for a few sources off a male mason I know personally, but the wider the range of information the better

cheers

There is women's freemasonry. But it is totally separate from the male version. They have their own Grand Lodge in London and run their rite on thier own. They are not linked to the United Grand Lodge of England though.
There's always been a big debate on wether women should be able to practice freemasonry with their male counterparts - in fact some countries lodges are not recognised because they chose to go down this path.
Within the last year the head of British Freemasonry stated that there are no plans to incorporate the two lodges and women would never be accepted into regular men's masonry.
Why? Well, masonry is all about brotherhood. It would be the same as the Boy Scouts movement accepting Girl Guides.

nice one

leveller am I mistaken or did I see a post elsewhere in which you stated you were a mason? I ask purely because this is what the other gentleman I asked told me:

As to women in Freemasonry, there is a thriving Women's Freeamsonry in
Britain, it is identical to the male version and is completely regular
in that it was formed orginally by a male lodge initiating women
members, who then went on to form their own lodges. Unlike male
Freemasonry they are growing and succesful, the male side is dying
through it's own inflexibility. I regularly give lectures to women
Freemasons and am made very welcome, although I am not allowed to attend
their lodge meetings. I speak at what are called the after proceedings.
If you are interested I can put you in touch with them.

Co-Masonry admits both men and women and as some of the rituals involved
exposing both legs and both breasts not everybody is happy about mixed
sex lodges. The separate women's Freemasonry has solved this problem to
their own satistfaction, and I have no quarrel with such a solution. I
have long adovated that male Freemasonry should share lodge rooms and
recreational facitilies with female lodges. Only the ritual meetings
need be separate. The sexism is a later invention of males who were sure
that they were the most important beings in the world. If you have read
my book The Invisible College, you will have found a prime example of
this in the Duke of Sussex who not only thought women inferior, but most
men as well! This bigot moulded the attitudes of male Freemasonry in
1813 and we are only just beginning to question his motives and change
his mistaken attitudes.

Scottish Freemasonry solved the problem of admitting women by founding a
parallel organisation called The Eastern Star. But I think the Templars
were founded at a time when women were thought of a chattels and they
simply went with the flow of their period

The American version is known as The Order of The Eastern Star.

Arc. There are many different versions of Free Masonry but as a general rule, those recognised by the Grand Lodge of England are what we would call "regular Freemasonry".

CoFreemasonry is an offshoot from regular Freemasonry and as such is not recognised by Grand Lodge. There are many of these groups. Some reputable (but still not regular) and some which are merely distasteful.

thanks for that link Nans

and Leveller I appreciate the correction

What correction Arc?

There is only one type of "Freemasonry". That is "Ancient Free and Accepted Masons." or "Free and Accepted Masons."

Anything else that isn't recognized by the Grand Lodge of England is not masonic.

This goes for any lodges that harbors women. Hence why it is "co-ed masonry".

This also goes for Prince Hall Masonry.

Which contrary to popular belief, wishes to be seperate and autonomous as more or less a "black" form of Freemasonry.

Simply a misdefinition on Leveller's fault.

Masonry is masonry, anything else is just that.

So arc, to say it bluntly, women will never be Freemasons. And that's the way it will stay for the same reasons Leveller gave. Boy scouts is for Boys.

Not really my style to post, but I had some issues to deal with, one is to forward my theory of "The Enduring Crusade" to a public audience. (Now available in the secret societies forums for discussion and more instruction at a later date)

And to put leveller, "on the level."

Which means not allowing him to become a spokesman for something he's not. Lest he should get on the horn right away and provide some lawful information.

aaah but freemasonry is not boy scouts, and even scouts changed from it's original form once it was accepted that girls are capable of more than needlework and cookery.

If you are implying that masonry is simply scouts for the big boys, then I think you are selling freemasonry somewhat short of it's ideals and potential

Boy scouts is purely an example ONLY in reference to the fact that they admit ONLY men (boys in boyscout's case). As far as what Masonry means, especially to masons, boyscouts can't even compare.

And leveller seems decent enough now, we've settled our differences

well I suspect I am asking the question to the wrong person here, but do you not think masonry would benefit from opening it's doors officially to women?

I wonder if too many men take the definition of brotherhood a little too literally. It is like saying mankind (as in the human race) applies only to men. So many terms in our language cover both genders although they superficially pertain to be male eg. chairman.

I would be a little saddened to find that many masons cannot see deeper than this. Perhaps I would be wiser to continue discussing this with the gentleman whose email I quoted. He at least is a little more enlightened

[Edited on 14-3-2003 by arc]

Originally posted by arc
do you not think masonry would benefit from opening it's doors officially to women?

Through my noble Scottish (really) lineage, I'm highly qualified for a fair position within the Masons. My uncle (first born son) is a highly placed Mason within a governance committee for the lodges of the southeastern region.

I've been invited on several occasions to join, and have always turned it down primarily due to the omission of women.

This is slightly irrelevant, but some boy scouts troops do accept girls. I've not checked but I imagine if you look at their site you'll see girls there. (I used to do some work for the scouts).

and it appears as if my gender was what prevented my grandfather from requesting my presence at his lodge. I'm the eldest child of the eldest child 10 generations back along my father's side, both my father and grandfather being the first born child each generation, and both masons. Unfortunately I broke the pattern!

You know, men and women are NOT the same don't you?

We think different, we respond different, we ARE different. Sure equal opportunity is great, but Freemasonry isn't about "Opportunity". Not joining doesn't mean you can't get great jobs and make a lot of money or do anything else you love to do.

It's not discrimination to not admit women, it's hard to teach unity when you have to teach both brotherhood, AND sisterhood. The two terms right there seperate you, besides the fact that some of the members you will favor over emotionally for reasons other than "unity".

There can be two groups, fraternity//sorority that teach the exact same things, is that such a problem? At least that way one teaches Unity of Brotherhood another Sisterhood. No one in the midst would be feeling left out or different from the others, because of their gender.

That's a blunt way I see it anyways.

As for English? It's the only language that does not categorize everything by sex, but we still do that a lot, the ship is a "her" God is a "he", so on and so forth.

It's just a human social trait that men and women will not always work efficiently together. If you want I'm sure I can find the research on this.

Of course I am aware of the gender differences, despite not letting them influence my life to a huge degree. Please understand my desire for equality in this area is not so much to make freemasonry into an equal opportunities organisation, but more to overcome those gender differences in the common quest for knowledge and enlightment.

I would be content to be a member of a women's lodge so long as it was understood that women were equal and recognised as true masons in the same way that men's lodges already are. It would be more interesting to share certain aspects with men as I think both genders benefit from understanding the slightly different take each has on some things. I personally do not work well in an all female environment all the time - it's not the way I've been brought up.

Originally posted by Hammerite
We think different, we respond different, we ARE different. Sure equal opportunity is great, but Freemasonry isn't about "Opportunity".

Of course we're different... and from what I've seen of masonry, it's more about beer than opportunity.

Your ideas of "brotherhood" and "sisterhood" are antique ideas on which people who fear change hang their hats.

The different ways men and women thing are exactly the reasons "brotherhood" and "sisterhood" should evolve out of existence. How many times will history and culture need to show you that diversity of thought and integration of difference are immense benefits each and every time they occur.

Go have your little secret brotherhood meetings and grunting handshakes and pats on the back. Congratulate yourselves on your passe little exclusive social club and watch the world pass you by.