Freemasons to walk from the ancient, all-male institution if transgender men and women can join the ranks
Freemasons from the United Grand Lodge of NSW and ACT are threatening to walk from the ancient, all-male institution if transgender men and women can join the ranks. Is this fair enough? VOTE IN THE POLL.
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THE ancient, all-male Freemason institution could backflip on hundreds of years of tradition by allowing transgender men and women to join under a new “gender reassignment” policy.
The Freemasons’ governing body — the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) — has already implemented the policy in the UK, which allows a woman to remain a Freemason if she joined as a man and a man to join the Freemasons if he used to live as a woman.
But outraged Sydney branch members are threatening to walk away over the prospective change they have labelled as the “left’s march through institutions”.
A document released by the UGLE said it expected members to act with “kindness and tolerance” when dealing with matters of “gender reassignment and gender transition.”
It added members will still be formally referred to as “brothers” irrespective of gender identity but informally they should be addressed “by the name and title he/she has chosen”.
United Grand Lodge of NSW and ACT Grand Secretary Stephen Green told The Daily Telegraph the branch had not yet put forward a proposal for the changes but it would comply with the United Grand Lodge of England if put before the committee.
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Members said sharing the ranks with former prime ministers, cricket captains and prominent businessmen would not be enough to keep them as Freemasons if the secretive, all-male organisation allowed transgender people to join.
“If transgender males and females are allowed to join, it will be a sad day and will spell the end to this ancient and most noble institution,” one source told The Daily Telegraph.
“Masonry is the last man cave in modern western society.
“It’s so far free from feminism and gender politics — a place where good men can gather and meet without having to tiptoe on egg shells, worried about social justice warriors, feminists or LGBTI police saying they are offended.
“Masons should be men only. If you want mix gender, go join something else … simple.”
Another source said the move was “totally absurd” and would “change the whole dynamic” of the organisation.
“I love mixing with women, but not at Lodge meetings,” he said.
“Proponents of the new age, PC, LGBTQ-RSTUV sexual revolution have taken power, likely by stealth.”
The source added that the UGLE’s decision to allow transgender members was setting a bad precedent for the Freemasons.
“It has been men only for 100s of years, but now if I nip and tuck, grow titties, wear a black skirt and live in England, I can still attend Lodge meetings,” he said.
One 20-year veteran of Masonry holds a different view and said Grand Lodges should not only allow transgender members but it should permit women to join the organisation.
“Masonry is about making good men better. Why can’t we change this to making good humans better,” he asked.
“Masons are supposed to be working on the temple of humanity, not the temple of men. That edifice might become very lopsided if only men are working on it.”
The member said in the 18th century, Masonry was seen as innovative, cutting-edge and even revolutionary but he now feared they risked becoming the opposite.
“Masons need to accept that society has changed and that we have to go with the flow, unless we are happy to be seen as backward,” he said.
“It is in my eye ridiculous that we exclude 50 per cent of the population just because of their sex. It should be up to the local Lodge to decide if they want to admit an interested human.
“As long as they are good people they should be able to apply for membership.”
The source added he expected transgender members in the future and reiterated his hopes women might soon be able to join the likes of Sir Robert Menzies, Sir Edmund Barton, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Graham Kennedy, Sir Donald Bradman as members.
“As the UGLE is seen as the mother of all regular Grand Lodges, anything they decide will be adopted in due course by other Grand Lodges like the one in NSW. In short transgender men and women will be able to join,” he said.
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