The Vatican has confirmed a ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons, a centuries-old secretive society that the Catholic Church has long viewed with hostility and has an estimated global membership of up to six million.
I’m a feminist and not a Freemason. I wasn’t convinced that Freemasonry is misogynistic simply because it excludes women. Ie: I think there are valid reasons to have some gender separated spaces. My understanding is that Freemasonry is a practice intended to ‘improve’ men (whatever that means to them). I think that’s possibly a valid reason for maintaining a gendered space.
However; in preparing to write this comment I learned that Masonry’s sister organization (The Order of the Eastern Star), which is open to both men and women, is subordinate to the Masonic lodge. This does strike me as misogynistic.
I’m open to reading thoughtful comments by Masons or more knowledgeable feminists.
I’m a feminist and not a Freemason. I wasn’t convinced that Freemasonry is misogynistic simply because it excludes women. Ie: I think there are valid reasons to have some gender separated spaces. My understanding is that Freemasonry is a practice intended to ‘improve’ men (whatever that means to them). I think that’s possibly a valid reason for maintaining a gendered space.
However; in preparing to write this comment I learned that Masonry’s sister organization (The Order of the Eastern Star), which is open to both men and women, is subordinate to the Masonic lodge. This does strike me as misogynistic.
I’m open to reading thoughtful comments by Masons or more knowledgeable feminists.
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