Learning From California
This post is an update of an earlier one that can be found:
Feminine Freemasonry
Last night the MW Grand Lodge of California was addressed via video conference by MW Teresita Arechiga, Grand Master of the MW Women's Grand Lodge of California.
Thanks to California opening its Online Masonic Speakers Series events to everyone, I was able to attend, and I found the presentation to be quite interesting.
I thought that I would share a few things that stood out to me.
- MW Arechiga was directly asked if she ever envisioned her GL someday seeking Recognition from the GL of California.
Her answer, initially surprising to me, but which made good sense once she explained her reasoning, was no. She does not think her GL should ever seek Recognition from our Regular and Recognized Grand Lodges.
Her reason is that Recognition implies inter-visitation.
She explained that just as we place very high value on the Brotherhood that can exist within a male-only space, so they place just as high of value in having a female-only space and experience.
Her clear view is that they do not want to visit our Lodges, and likewise they do not want us visiting their Lodges. Believing gendered Freemasonry to be the optimal experience.
She says that her GL asks for respect, and an opportunity to work together on specific projects or events, but not Recognition.
Her GL works the Scottish Rite system of degrees, but is clearly ruled by a Grand Master, not a Supreme Council.
MW Arechiga explained that in her view, her Grand Lodge has a right to exist in precisely the same manner as the United Grand Lodge of England exists.
She stated (correctly) that the UGLE was founded without any authority or basis, simply by the initial four London Lodges declaring that it existed. There was no precedent for its creation, and it was not authorized by any higher Masonic authority for the simple reason that there was no higher Masonic authority.
As I understand it the Women's Grand Lodge of California was created in exactly the same way. It's three subordinate Lodges (currently all in the Los Angeles area) simply declaring its formation.
- I don't think her correct, but, MW Arechiga explained her view of history which includes matriarchal periods. It seemed to me that she see's her work within her GL as a growth of feminism.
I think that is probably the largest divergence between her views and those of the average mainstream Regular Mason. I don't think that the average Regular Mason believes early western history to have been gynocentric, nor do I think that the average Regular Mason feels Masonry to be involved in any way with the politics of gender.
All in all, I found the presentation by MW Arechiga to be of great interest, and I salute the MW Grand Lodge of California for hosting it.
Women practicing Freemasonry does no harm to us as Masons, nor to our Lodges. We can, and should, give them the same respect that we ourselves would hope to receive.
#WomensGrandLodgeOfCalifornia #MWGLofCalifornia #FemaleFreemasonry
-Cameron
Cameron M. Bailey
Past Grand Master
The MW Grand Lodge F&AM of Washington
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