[littlecat123]

When I looked up my local Order of the Eastern Star, it said you had to be related or married to a Mason to join.

Is it impossible to join otherwise?

[Squash Cop]

Originally Posted by littlecat123

When I looked up my local Order of the Eastern Star, it said you had to be related or married to a Mason to join.

Is it impossible to join otherwise?

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives as well as allowing Rainbow Girls and Job's Daughters to become members when they become of age.

I was told my girlfriend could join if I did first. Dunno if that helps...

[Jason]

Only men who are Masons are eligible and only women with specific Masonic affiliation may be members. These affiliations include:

• Affiliated Master Masons in good standing,
• the wives
• daughters
• legally adopted daughters
• mothers
• widows
• sisters
• half sisters
• granddaughters
• stepmothers
• stepdaughters
• stepsisters
• daughters-in-law
• grandmothers
• great granddaughters
• nieces
• great nieces
• mothers-in-law
• sisters-in-law

The Order of the Easter Star remains the largest fraternal organization in the world that is open to both men and women. They have over one million members, with over 9,000 chapters in 20 countries.

Freemasonry has over three million members world wide. Chances are, a person is related to a Mason and just never knew it.

[ninikins]

It seems a shame that you canot join if you are not related though.

[harmony_mom]

I agree. I have to admit I'm a bit put off by this. I was very encouraged by the fact that there was a place for women in freemasonry, however the fact that you need a man to gain membership still makes it a bit too patriarchal for my tastes.

[Squash Cop]

Originally Posted by Jason

• daughters
• granddaughters
• great granddaughters

I've been told that these relations on the mother's side are also eligible, was your grandmother a member? Or you great grandmother?

[littlecat123]

That's a bummer that you have to be related. I love the idea of belonging to a philanthropic group or society but I'm 99.99% sure no one I'm related to is a Mason.

[SageMother]

Well every group has its structure. I was initiated into Wicca because I wanted something that was female first since so many of the other paths still relay on male dominant structure. I bet somewhere there is a band of renegade "Lady Masons" that I just haven't been fortunate enough to bump into!

[Squash Cop]

Try France.

[pingpong abyss]

Originally Posted by ninikins

It seems a shame that you canot join if you are not related though.

Yeah, it does, especially if it is something you want to do. However, the list of relatives that can be used as a link to the Masonic order to join is pretty long, making it much more likely that one of them is involved in the Masonic order.