Are there any female masonic lodges?

Answer 1

Not only have there been female Freemasons in the past, but there are currently female Freemasons today.

It's a complicated question; Grand Lodges following the tradition of the United Grand Lodge of England (the oldest Grand Lodge of Freemasonry) do not permit female members. This includes all US Grand lodges of Free and Accepted Masons, the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The third of the Old Charges, (the governing rules of Freemasonry), states: "The persons admitted Members of a Lodge must be good and true Men, free-born, and of mature and discreet Age, no Bondmen, no Women, or immoral or scandalous Men, but of good Report."

There are at least two historical instances in which a woman was initiated. In the 19th centurey Mrs. Richard Aldworth was duly obligated both as a Mason after witnessing a Tiled lodge. The lodge members felt it was the only way to maintain secrecy.

The second instance concerns Helene, Countess Hadik Barkoczy, born 1833, and "made a Mason" in Lodge Egyenloseg, in 1875.

Women are accepted as members in some French lodges and there are some groups in the US that practice co-masonry (co-ed) but these are considered irregular or clandestine by most Masonic Lodges.

Answer 2

Yes, and no... "Regular" Freemasonry, which is recognized throughout the world and has a direct linage to at least the 1600's in Britain, does not allow women as members. There have, however, been various irregular lodges that have allowed women to join since at least the 1700's, particularly in the Netherlands and France. There are still groups today, such as "co-masonry," that have both men and women as members, but they are not recognized as Freemasons by the majority of Grand Lodges throughout the world, and so cannot participate with any of them in Masonic activities.

It is sort of like a group of people who calls themselves Catholic Christians, but have beliefs and practices that are very different from those of the Catholic Church in Rome. They can call themselves whatever they want, believe whatever they want, and do whatever they want, but the Roman Catholic Church does not recognize them as being part of itself, and may not recognize them as "Christian" either. That doesn't mean they are wrong, but they are not part of the larger, older, group.

Answer 3

Men are Freemasons only, but there are bodies of Freemasonry that women join, such as the Order of Eastern Stars (OES) or Rainbow Girls.