h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's about it really.

I also want to know... no, really, it's seems weird.

When I was a cabbie I used to take couples to 'ladies night' functions. And I must admit none of them ever seemed to be bothered. But I'm not keen on anything that excludes 50% of the population for no reason other than an accident of birth!

Well, poorly colleague, apparently there ARE lady masons. However, this sounds to me like it might be a rather token thing welded onto the side of something sinister, in order to pacify us all.

I am told that 'ladies' nights' are a good opportunity to acquire a manicure set or an orchid though.

ooh, how can I join?

Well, seeing as the demand is clearly there I think it's time to set up a special h2g2 Ladies' Lodge.

I'd like to begin by toasting Mina!

(That's what we do, apparently...)

That's very kind of you. And a toast to Natalie too!

There's a society called the Order of the Eastern Star which is just for women.... my mother was a member for one night. Though apparently, once a member always a memeber. One of their lodges (in Glasgow) was just up the road from my office. The windows were always dirty.....

deemikay

Actually, The Order of The Eastern Star is for both men and women.

What about the Daughters of Job?

For the daughters/nieces/granddaughters of Masons, or their friends that they sponsor.

The question remains... can any 'Modern' Masons out there state why, in the twenty-first century, the Freemasons have a cracking website, have kept pace with modern mores and dropped physical punishments, are more public than ever before in their history, and yet STILL deny membership to supreme-being believing, charitable females?

To state that there are 'equivalent' organisations for women only serves to magnify the inequality - no - bigotry that is evident here.

Let me pose that question from another point of view. Suppose that I, as a man, desired to go to college at Mt. Holyoke (an all-womens college) in Boston, Mass. Do I have that right? Or are they hiding something sinister? It is considered to be a fine institution for higher learning, so why can I not attend? The answer is quite simple. It is because it is a private organization and can therefore chose who it allows to attend, much in the same fashion that the Masons are a private organization and have the right to determine membership criteria.

Actually, that college should let in men, shouldn't it. What is the reason it gives for not?
Oberon2001

Speaking as a "modern" mason, the rational part of me agrees that there is no particularly good reason why women should be excluded, these days. Freemasonry is frustratingly replete with things that we do without knowing why we do them, or knowing anything about the historical reasons for them. While I hesitate to speak for other masons, I suspect those that prefer to keep the (men only) status quo do so because admitting women would change the essential character of the organisation and the experience it conveys. It would still be a worthy and good organisation were women admitted, they feel, but it wouldn't be Freemasonry: somehow the essence of "the Craft" is wrapped up (for them) in its masculine character.

I have therefore speculated that it may serve a sort "male initiation" role in western society where fathers are too often emotionally distanced from sons in ways that mothers and daughters aren't. Perhaps freemasonry fulfils that role. Not an "excuse", more speculation, really.

At a broader level, do most people object to women only organisations such as the Women's Institute, the Soroptimists, etc? generally speaking no.. ergo....

err... I do actually! See my last post on this thread.
Oberon2001

Hi there - I've only just come across this thread so perhaps it's now a dead issue.

Freemasonry most certainly IS an organisation for women,and DOES admit women: its just that the type of FM that one commonly comes across and is in the public eye (that under the auspices of the United Grand Lodge of England) is a men-only institution. There are both mixed organisations, and women's only organisations in the UK although not as popular (yet??) as the UGLE. I practice my FM under the UGLE in a men-only lodge - and I that's the way I prefer it. FM takes you on a bit of a journey, and I prefer to do this in a men's lodge. Some don't - horses for courses really. I know several women masons though and we meet socially and chat about FM: there's no problem between the various organsiations.

Telegram-Sam

They let women in. A quick check on any internet search engine will discreetly pull aside the veil.

I'd say this is where a really good subject of general human behaviour comes into play, and something that I, perhaps out of ignorance, am inclined to think is hardwired into at least my psyche as a male:
Women are different than men. When women are around, men tend to worry more about impressing the opposite sex and jockying themselves around and over each other: try going to a hip night club for research matereal.
Boys will allways be boys, but it's alot easier when they aren't distracted by women. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything about women in institutions, military, health and the like, but in a social context, sometimes it's nice to be around "just the guys". I can only speculate that that is a large part of the desire to have social clubs that limit this type of variability so certain norms of social interaction can be achieved and maintained.
I'm fully aware of the exceptions to these admited generalisations, I merely pose the perspective that because men and women adjust their activity to the gender makeups of the groups they're in, it's certainly easier, if nothing else, to limit variables when trying to normalise behaviours. This is an essential feature to any type of institution, be it cult, fraternity, religion or club, as the article says itself this is an organisation dedicated to use of rituals for the sake of an individuals growth. Since the norms without women have had such a long time to establish themselves, there would at the very least be an adjustment period of changing the "makeup" of a group if the members are involved enough to have significant expectations of the institutions. Certain variables to achieve certain aims must be controlled.
I didn't realise I had so much to say.
Best of luck to all in achieveing equality in this world would be the one thing I'd want to be remembered for saying though,

Regards,
B Wooster.

I've come to this really late but just in case anyone still looks in.

There have been 3 types (based on gender) of Freemasonry available in the UK for nerly 100 years rather than going into all the details I'll just post there websites:

You all know the men-only
United Grand Lodge of England: http://www.grandlodge-england.org/

Women only
Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons: www.hfaf.org
Order of Women freemasons: www.owf.org.uk/

Mixed (men and women)
British Federation of Le Droit Humain: www.droit-humain.org/uk/
This one is a recent development from LDH
Grand Lodge for Men & Women (UK): www.grandlodge.org.uk/

Although they don't mix in the Lodge they all talk to each other.
Mike