# Should the Order of the Eastern Star Accept...



## Blake Bowden (Feb 21, 2013)

Should the Order of the Eastern Star begin accepting women who currently do not have any Masonic affiliation?


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## MajaOES (Feb 22, 2013)

Being a member of OES I think we should as long as there is a MM who agrees that the candidate should be a member.  Lets be honest.  It would be effective to have the same membership requirements for OES as they do for Masonry.  Having these requirements the same would allow for OES to bring in new women with no affiliation that then could introduce masonry to there husbands.  Its a win win for both organizations.  Unfortunately though this was voted down and General Grand Chapter this year in Fort Worth.  In order for the organization to continue on OES will need to start exploring other avenues of obtaining new and younger membership.


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 22, 2013)

Very interesting, thank you for the input! I look forward to reading more of your posts.


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 22, 2013)

Being that I'm not a member of the OES, I'm unaware of their membership statistics so take my opinion as just that. Not to be a pessimist, but I see the decline in Masonic Membership worldwide, not to mention the concerns I've heard from our local OES Chapter. 

Currently, it's a group composed of honorable men and women, but most are at least 65+ years of age. Where will they be in 10 years? If given a choice, would you rather permit those without a Masonic affiliation to apply and go through the same process as we Masons, or see your Charter yanked and Chapter demise?


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## Michael Neumann (Feb 22, 2013)

MajaOES said:


> Being a member of OES I think we should as long as there is a MM who agrees that the candidate should be a member.  Lets be honest.  It would be effective to have the same membership requirements for OES as they do for Masonry.  Having these requirements the same would allow for OES to bring in new women with no affiliation that then could introduce masonry to there husbands.  Its a win win for both organizations.  Unfortunately though this was voted down and General Grand Chapter this year in Fort Worth.  In order for the organization to continue on OES will need to start exploring other avenues of obtaining new and younger membership.



I agree 100% with your sentiment, the requirements should be similar to those required to enter Masonry. This would increase the ranks quickly with well qualified women.


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## crono782 (Feb 22, 2013)

wow, even tied poll right now. i think it could be changed to just the recommendation of a mason rather than related to one. like was said above, would you rather tweak the requirements or go down with the ship?


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## widows son (Feb 22, 2013)

I think it's a good idea to have the same requirement as masonry too. OES is pretty much done in my area, with one operating lodge in a town with 12,000 people. And from what I've been told  the age majority is 50 to 65+


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## jwhoff (Feb 22, 2013)

I'm not a member but I see good work go on in our local OES group.  It would be much, much better were there a span of age groups involved.  However, whether that means adopting the aforementioned guidelines or not is, of course, up to the OES.  I wish the members well in their endeavors to increase interest and participation.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Feb 22, 2013)

MajaOES said:


> Being a member of OES I think we should as long as there is a MM who agrees that the candidate should be a member.  Lets be honest.  It would be effective to have the same membership requirements for OES as they do for Masonry.  Having these requirements the same would allow for OES to bring in new women with no affiliation that then could introduce masonry to there husbands.  Its a win win for both organizations.  Unfortunately though this was voted down and General Grand Chapter this year in Fort Worth.  In order for the organization to continue on OES will need to start exploring other avenues of obtaining new and younger membership.



I also agree with your points. We should be able to accept new members who are not previously Masonicly affiliated, like the local Lodges.



Blake Bowden said:


> Being that I'm not a member of the OES, I'm unaware of their membership statistics so take my opinion as just that. Not to be a pessimist, but I see the decline in Masonic Membership worldwide, not to mention the concerns I've heard from our local OES Chapter.
> 
> Currently, it's a group composed of honorable men and women, but most are at least 65+ years of age. Where will they be in 10 years? If given a choice, would you rather permit those without a Masonic affiliation to apply and go through the same process as we Masons, or see your Charter yanked and Chapter demise?



Most OES Chapters are in the same condition membership wise as our beloved York Rite. Membership is on the steady decline.


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## scialytic (Feb 23, 2013)

My wife and I just petitioned the Grapevine OES Chapter. I understand when membership was swelling in masonry that you wanted to keep OES only to wives of masons, but it clearly needs to be updated to include qualified non-Masonic affilliated women. 

That being said...I wonder what the traditional OES spouses of Masons that had to deal with their husbands out at Masonic events four times a week that is around others in the same boat would think. That's really the poll I want to see!


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## BryanMaloney (Feb 25, 2013)

Blake Bowden said:


> Currently, it's a group composed of honorable men and women, but most are at least 65+ years of age.



I was looking at the pictures of Worthy Matrons on our lodge fellowship hall wall. It was simple: grandmother, grandmother, grandmother, grandmother... grandmother, grandmother, ... grandmother, grandmother, hot flapper girl, grandmother, grandmother, ... grandmother grandmother, grandmother, grandmother--HOT FLAPPER GIRL??????? There she was, flanked by grandmothers going back and forward decades, a beauty who could have been penned by Fitzgerald, himself.


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## MajaOES (Feb 25, 2013)

Interesting....I had this discussion with a couple of ladies and a mason yesterday during a study session for an initiation we were doing.  The issue comes down to the generation gap between people my age (Early 30s ) and the average age of a normal member (>45 years old).  I am working on this for my PhD dissertation about the affect changes have made to OES as a civic organization.  The issue really comes down to the morals and traditions of the order.  Its a beautiful ritual and teaches some amazing lessons.  However, because of the generation I grew up in, the lessons the order teaches me are different than how older members see those lessons.  So there is a gap.  I hope that as my generation ages that they will become more conservative in their way of thinking but still remain open and accepting to all which will bring them into OES.  My fear is being a PM of the order and being in it for 13 years, that I will not be able to get my 50 year membership pin because the order will be gone. I have posted before and still believe, the issue does not resolve itself by allowing women to be accepted into the masonic lodge, but having the confidence to make changes to their own organization to make it successful in the future.


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## RedTemplar (Mar 4, 2013)

IMHO, the Order of Eastern Star is fully capable of governing itself.


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## Blake Bowden (Mar 4, 2013)

Sadly, the days of my local OES chapter are numbered as well as the York Rite bodies. Blue Lodge is the heart of all things Masonic and until we get support from GL, our membership will continue to decline.


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## BroBill (Mar 4, 2013)

I think it could absolutely benefit Freemasonry as a whole to accept ladies into the OES. Conceptually I think it's a good idea and it would provide another way to share the principles of masonry- especially to the youth of our society.


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## dfreybur (May 8, 2013)

widows son said:


> And from what I've been told  the age majority is 50 to 65+



That's a very healthy chapter to have an average age that low.  Most are much older.

Last year I met a PHA OES sister who had just graduated from college.  By decades the youngest OES sister I've met.  We're seeing increased petitions in our lodges so crossing my fingers that happens in chapters as well.


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## SeeKer.mm (May 8, 2013)

OES Chapter at our lodge seems to be dwindling.


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## SeeKer.mm (May 8, 2013)

Can't former Rainbow Girls join OES without masonic affiliation?  I think they can in CT.  Other than that its the same thing here with they have to have lineage or espousal to a Master Mason


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## LittleHunter (Jun 4, 2013)

In today's age where divorce is common And most women are independent, I think it makes sense for OES to admit women who don't have a Mason in their family. I work with a lot of great women. If one asks me "Can I be a Mason?" It would be nice to be able to say, "We have a place for you in OES" 


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## Spawny (Jun 5, 2013)

MWPHA of DC is doing a membership for the first time this year for non masonic women. It cost a lot of money to discourage those who just want the star and not do the work. There is a large amount of women who choose to join. Hopefully this makes the numbers increase and can do this periodically to help our widows and orphans.


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## LittleHunter (Jun 25, 2013)

That's cool


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## PMC.DeMolay.MM (Jul 31, 2013)

NY: Constellation of The Junior Stars, Rainbow Girls, Job's Daughters, and Triangle Girls may petition OES without any Masonic affiliation when she comes of age to do such!  I'm not sure about the requirements of joining the orders themselves.  

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## BigDre357 (Aug 1, 2013)

I am in the Nashville area and my Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of OES allow non Masonic affiliated women to join our chapters of the OES

SMIB /G\


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## hallodge (Dec 30, 2013)

No affiliation needed in nj


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## js4253 (Jan 31, 2014)

I have only been in OES about 6 years.   I only remember one petitioner that did  not qualify.  In Texas just about any Masonic affiliation will be accepted. Wife, widow, mother, sister, daughter, Rainbow etc.


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## sirius186 (Feb 2, 2014)

Light of Hope Chapter 114 in Charlotte NC allows women who have no affilition as well as those who do. As a result 50 percent of our chapter are sisters between the ages 23 and 27 years old.

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## DJGurkins (Feb 2, 2014)

I am not a member but will join soon. My wife was just initiated last week and I will petition in a couple months. I think with all the issues today with our youth being raised by single parents (mother or father) and the other being absent from the scene, we need this more than ever. How nice would it be to go to functions if you were a single parent (barbeque, Dinners, family night, movie night,) and have all these great men and women as role models for your kids. I think this could be good for both the older members as well as the younger members and the kids.


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## FSUJAG (Feb 3, 2014)

Sadly our OES chapter that I was W/P in closed this last month. With my wife being the youngest active member at 55 and the W/M being 85 we could see no reason to continue. We will go to different chapters. There are a lot of things OES has to change to make it appealing to younger members. But I don't see that happening as long as it is run by a people who refuse to understand and change with the world which has left them behind.


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## Bro Darren (Feb 3, 2014)

It is my understanding that 2 years ago the OES in Australia started to accept women who do not have a MM family member in the blue lodge. I also  aware that the numbers of petition have increased due to this change in prerequisite regulation.  


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## dfreybur (Feb 3, 2014)

sirius186 said:


> Light of Hope Chapter 114 in Charlotte NC allows women who have no affilition as well as those who do. As a result 50 percent of our chapter are sisters between the ages 23 and 27 years old.



Rhetorical question - How much of this is the changed affiliation requirement and how much is young ladies petitioning in droves for the same reason many lodges now see young men petitioning in droves?

If petitioners weren't being turned away before it's unlikely the requirement change is the main cause of the difference.


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 8, 2014)

MajaOES said:


> Being a member of OES I think we should as long as there is a MM who agrees that the candidate should be a member.  Lets be honest.  It would be effective to have the same membership requirements for OES as they do for Masonry.  Having these requirements the same would allow for OES to bring in new women with no affiliation that then could introduce masonry to there husbands.  Its a win win for both organizations.  Unfortunately though this was voted down and General Grand Chapter this year in Fort Worth.  In order for the organization to continue on OES will need to start exploring other avenues of obtaining new and younger membership.


Agreed.


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