Michala B. tells the story behind The Mason’s Lady, a blog for women to talk about Freemasonry, find answers to questions, and network with other women connected to the craft.
When I first started dating my husband, he mentioned to me that he was a Freemason. At that point, I knew that Masons had something do with National Treasure, and the pyramid with the eye on the back of the dollar bill. I knew that he helped with a group called DeMolay, but, I wasn’t really sure what that was. I spoke to a friend at work, who, as it turns out, had been a Rainbow Girl; she assured me that it was probably something that I would enjoy.
I researched as much as possible online, which led to a number of issues. As we all know, there is a lot of misinformation about Freemasonry online. A larger issue for myself, an independent woman who had no Masonic heritage (or so I thought at the time), was that there was no information from my perspective. What should I expect as someone dating a Mason? What do I wear? If I say something wrong, will I be asked to leave? What is up with the goat?
As my relationship with my husband blossomed, I became more and more interested in Freemasonry. We had barely been dating a year when he invited me to join him at the Grand Lodge Annual Communication. I assumed, incorrectly, that this is where all of my questions would be answered. Instead, it only brought about more questions, fascination, and sometimes, confusion. I remember looking at the agenda for Grand Lodge, and trying to decipher a line under the Master’s banquet. “Attire: tux or formal, with jewels.” I just hoped that my pearls would be enough.
After heading back to our room from the hospitality suite, I laid on the bed, talking with my husband and a friend about how much I had learned, and how underprepared I had felt for everything that had happened, everything I had seen. I told them that I wished that there had been a “How To” guide for me, things that they took for granted, having done it for so many years. One of them asked, “Well, why don’t you make it?” And at three am, after numerous glasses of scotch and standing up at two raps at least twice, that is exactly what I did.
Somewhere down the line, The Mason’s Lady started to become more than just a way for me to learn about my own experiences; it became a way for others to communicate their own, as well as an avenue for Masonic research. Through the blog, I have been able to speak freely about so many topics related to Masonry, some of them controversial, some not; many leaving myself and my readers with more questions than answers.
This, I feel, should be the goal of Masonic education, and education overall: to keep you thinking.
I’ve had just about every reaction possible you can imagine to my blog. I’ve had emails from women thanking me so much for helping them. I have heard from so many people, not only women, asking questions, giving critiques, comments, and occasionally spurring a new post. Many people do ask, and yes, I am sad to an extent that I cannot be a Mason; however, if I was, I could not so freely explore the social dynamics of Freemasonry, and that is not something I am willing to give up just yet. The Mason’s Lady has allowed me to cultivate and further the culture and relationship of women and their involvement with Freemasonry.”