Grand Lodge FAQs / Why No Women?

[Tamrin]

Under "About Freemasonry" / "Questions" at UGL of NSW & ACT's site is, "Why do you not have women members?", I am glad to see we no longer have the old furphy along the lines that it is because we are bound by the traditions of the medieval stonemasons and, as they didn't admit women, nor can we: This was simply wrong. The answer or rather response now given is:

There are other organisations that are strictly for women, and we agree with, and support their right to be 'strictly for women'. We feel confident that they, and other well informed people, would support our right to exist as we do.

Firstly, this response does not answer the question: Rather, it appears to be a defence. Secondly, the defence is flawed: What organizations are we talking about? Would we agree with, and support a hypothetical organisation 'strictly for women,' which at one level, presumed to set forth an inclusive and universal ideal model of society, from which we, as men, were excluded (see cartoon below)? Thirdly, from experience, I am confident that "they and other well informed people" do not all support our right to exist as we do. Fourthly, irrespective of what other organizations do or do not do, ought we not address the question with regard to our own institution?

[Tamrin]

The United Grand Lodge of Victoria's response to the question, "Can women join Freemasonry?", is:

Although the United Grand Lodge of Victoria does not accept female applicants to join traditional Craft Freemasonry there are many activities and groups within Freemasonry that welcome the participation of Women.

Traditional Freemasonry, as offered by the United Grand Lodge of Victoria, offers men in the community an important support structure that breaks down the isolation imposed by expectations placed on modern masculinity. Modern life offers very few emotional support structures for men.

Traditional Craft Freemasonry offers men an environment in which the development of masculinity can be appropriately nurtured, challenged and guided.

Here, one infers Freemasonry somehow addresses an unspecified condition peculiar to men, rather than being an inclusive, universal institution. It has fallen into this role by default (and, as men and women increasingly mix elsewhere in society, we are coming to be characterized in contrast to the norm). However, Freemasonry addresses the human condition, presenting at one level an ideal society whose principles we are charged to practice both in and out of Lodge. We should be among the last groups to discriminate on irrelevant grounds and are much more than a vehicle for male bonding: Indeed, some overly macho posturing and homo-social opinions led to me becoming fairly inactive for a few years after joining.

[Tamrin]

In what may be a promising omission, the Grand Lodge of S.A. & the N.T.'s FAQs do not address the issue of gender (although it is among the most frequently asked questions). Curiously, however, under "Famous Freemasons," it says:

Edith Cowan, social reformer, feminist and first women elected to an Australian Parliament (in 1921), was a member of Co-Freemasonry; she is shown on the $50 note.

[Tamrin]

On the Grand Lodge of Western Australia's site, Question 3 reads:

“Why are women not allowed to become Freemasons and how are they supposed to support their men in Freemasonry if they are not involved?”

To which the response given is:

This question represents another of the many facets relating to Freemasonry, which is often misunderstood or at least misinterpreted. As with the old saying, “behind every good man stands a good woman” it is equally true to say “behind every good Freemason stands a good woman”. Our ladies are a vital and integral part of Freemasonry and without them and their cherished support the fraternity would not function in today’s society. Indeed, it is reasonable to say that without them there would be little or no point in Freemasonry at all. Freemasonry is a system of morality, which teaches good men to be better men, better citizens, better employers or employees, better husbands and better fathers and to uphold all the virtues of family life. To exclude our ladies from this mix would render the teachings of Freemasonry meaningless.

[more information]

As this masterpiece of obfuscation reads, one might be excused for thinking that women are welcome. Indeed, but not as members to be admitted to Freemasonry, per se. To discover even this basic point one needs to read the fine print or rather the embedded link under [more information]. There, amidst more waffle, the one reason given for excluding women is the old chestnut of there having been no women stonemasons, which has long been proven to be wrong, and how Freemasonry (rightly or wrongly) adhere to its traditions, contrasting this with a "world of hectic and often frightening changes in moral values and personal behaviors." One wonders just how frightening is the prospect of meeting with women in Lodge?

A further reason may be implied where the Grand Lodge states:

Freemasonry is an international fraternity embracing a diverse range of cultures operating under individual Grand Lodges. To gain agreement on any fundamental change is not only undesirable but also unimaginably complex and difficult.

Here may be a suggestion that the step to admit women is just too hard (and undesirable). As to why it would be any harder or more undesirable for Freemasonry than for other organizations which have taken the same step is not stated. One gains the impression that this "Mexican standoff," where, no matter how well justified, the first Grand Lodge to break ranks on the issue purportedly risks losing the recognition of others, is seen by some to be a welcome difficulty which, if it didn't exist, would need to be invented.

[Tamrin]

UGL of Queensland does not appear to have a FAQs page on its site and nor does GL of Tasmania.

[maximus]

Nov 13, 2009 10:22:29 GMT 10 Tamrin said:

UGL of Queensland does not appear to have a FAQs page on its site and nor does GL of Tasmania.

Well, they need to work on that, then.

[Tamrin]

Nov 14, 2009 0:13:41 GMT 10 @maximus said:

Well, they need to work on that, then.

I guess it's their choice - but I'll grant that, overall, Tasmania's site seem a bit clunky and could do with a bit of polish.

[Tamrin]

Turning to New Zealand, to complete the review of Australasian Grand Lodges (New Guinea doesn't have its own GL), we find the question, 'Why can’t women become Freemasons?' The response given is along the lines of the W.A. reply (without the, no women stonemasons, furphy): The relevant part reads:

Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation firmly entrenched in tradition and history. The original Constitutions were published in 1723 and are fundamentally what all Freemasons all over the world are united by and adhere to. To change these Constitutions to allow women to become members would require Lodges throughout the world to agree to the change. As cultures are so diverse and vary so dramatically in terms of social structure and gender relations, making this fundamental change to the Constitutions would be extremely difficult.

Again we find this 'welcome difficulty' and are left wondering which, among the relatively NON-diverse cultures in which Freemasonry is practiced (mostly tolerant and inclusive progressive democracies) are social structure and gender relations so dramatically different to ours that men and women could not meet together as Masons (as they already do in most walks of life)? Moreover, if that were the case, perhaps we as Masons ought to take a lead in relation to our much vaunted equality and in line with our Enlightenment principles? Indeed, how alien, how 'other,' must it feel to be both worthy and competent yet to be excluded by accident of birth from a 'universal science' which claims to promote diversity and inclusion?

Were any GL to admit that social conditions and gender relations within its jurisdiction were such that it could not admit women, that need not prevent others from doing so. Please bear-in-mind, there is a 1922 precedent (Ward, Aims & Ideals, p.140), albeit from GOdF (no longer in amity with mainstream, Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions), for saying that its members could visit mixed lodges under a recognised sister jusidiction and that their male members were welcome in its lodges but that their female member could not as yet do so.

[Tamrin]

When we look at the sites for the "mother Grand Lodges" of England, Ireland And Scotland, it appears only UGLE has a FAQs page. There we read: "Why do you not have women members?" and are told:

Freemasonry, following the example of medieval stonemasons, has always been restricted to men. Women who wish to become members have two separate Grand Lodges restricted to women.

The first sentence has long been known to be false and ill befits an organization which proclaims "Truth" to be among the three Grand Principles upon which it is founded. The second sentence ought to be read in the context of their 1999 statement, which is a masterpiece of double-speak, whereby the two separate GLs referred to are said to appear to be regular except for their admission of women. In other words, regular except for each and every one of their Officers and except for each and every one of their members!?

Women Builders (detail). Roman des Girart von Roussillon, Cod. 2549, f.167v,
Flemish, 1447, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.

[Azaziel]

Philip,

You know as well as I do, that "our" GL will not allow women and their and every other GL that follows UGLE, dosen't have a leg to stand on, its just politics.

It is interesting that GLs that seem to be growing are co-masonry, while our anglo masonry is declining, you would have to wonder why this fact does not get thru

Just food for thought, up this way Glen Innes Lodge is going ahead in leaps and bounds , numbers wise, not because of any male , but because of a wife of one of the members, she is in everything and tells the other wives that their husbands should join, with great success