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Women Freemason Speech

Benton

Premium Member
It's interesting. I don't know that I care to have much of a reaction one way or another. She's free to do whatever she pleases, and we couldn't stop her even if we wanted to. (I don't know that I care.) She emphasizes faith in God as the cornerstone of the craft, and that alone speaks volumes to their aims, I think.

All that said, I don't want mixed sex lodges. But if women would like to have lodges of their own, more power to them.

I choose not to fret over things I can't control.
 

Michael Hatley

Premium Member
In 1908, when that was written, the women's suffrage movement was in full force. It wasn't for another 12 years that women got the vote in the US. In 1908 in the UK, where this lady was from, there was a fair bit of rancor about the issue. Deaths and things. It was the era of hunger strikes and whatnot in search of the franchise.

So this effort I reckon had far more to do with women desiring parity with men overall in society than genuine interest in freemasonry. I think that, like the infantry, the actual interest level from women who want to serve is exceedingly low and that the feminists are far more interested in it as an issue of inequality than as something to participate in in good faith.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
I choose not to fret over things I can't control.

Yea, I'm not fretting over it too much. I just tried reading it imagining a woman's voice saying the words and just seemed a bit.... different. Reminded of me one of those History Channel shows on Freemasonry. Had a couple of women on there that were "Masons". Just seemed different.

In 1908, when that was written, the women's suffrage movement was in full force. It wasn't for another 12 years that women got the vote in the US. In 1908 in the UK, where this lady was from, there was a fair bit of rancor about the issue. Deaths and things. It was the era of hunger strikes and whatnot in search of the franchise.

So this effort I reckon had far more to do with women desiring parity with men overall in society than genuine interest in freemasonry. I think that, like the infantry, the actual interest level from women who want to serve is exceedingly low and that the feminists are far more interested in it as an issue of inequality than as something to participate in in good faith.

Really good point. Especially about the Infantry thing..... But don't even get me started on that...lol
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
It's interesting. I don't know that I care to have much of a reaction one way or another. She's free to do whatever she pleases, and we couldn't stop her even if we wanted to. (I don't know that I care.) She emphasizes faith in God as the cornerstone of the craft, and that alone speaks volumes to their aims, I think.

All that said, I don't want mixed sex lodges. But if women would like to have lodges of their own, more power to them.

I choose not to fret over things I can't control.
That's pretty much the way that I look at it especially since female or c0- lodges are not recognized anyway.
 

Mike Martin

Eternal Apprentice
Premium Member
Just to clarify the first GM of the Order of Women Freemasons was actually a man, his full name being William Frederick Cobb, the first lady GM succeded him in 1912 and she was Marion Halsey.

The Order was the result of a split away from the already establish Co-Masons (Le Droit Humaine) Lodges in England as they did not like the idea of being ruled from France and also some of the themes that Co-Masonry added to genuine Masonry. The OWF aligned its Freemasonry to that which we in the UGLE practise.

To those who may think it was a passing phase linked only to the Suffrage movement I can confirm that it still exists and that we of the UGLE helped them to celebrate the centenary of their Order in 2008 https://www.owf.org.uk/about-us/centenary-celebrations/
 
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