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"Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613954722758656 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | White, Tayla Shayne |
| author2 | Fransch, Chet |
| author_browse | Fransch, Chet White, Tayla Shayne |
| author_facet | Fransch, Chet White, Tayla Shayne |
| author_sort | White, Tayla Shayne |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132318 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:21.236Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132318 "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 White, Tayla Shayne Fransch, Chet Kotze, Este Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. Freemasonry -- South Africa -- History Women and freemasonry Secret societies -- Sociological aspects Freemasons -- South Africa -- History UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. White, T. S. 2025. “Making Good Men Better”: Gender and Freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/8e562f34-799f-4617-9694-a9d30d82c291 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The topic of Freemasonry as a male-only secret society has been widely researched and published. Importantly, while these publications give an in-depth history of Freemasonry across the globe, few critically ask questions about gender or mention women’s involvement. However, there are several authors who have chosen to write about the role of women in Freemasonry. Only a handful of authors have researched Freemasonry in South Africa, however, none consider the participation of women. Central to this scholarly lacuna is the role of masculinity in the exclusion of women from Freemasonry. Thus, this thesis provides a history of Freemasonry in South Africa, both of the male-only lodges and the mixed-gender and female-only lodges. Ultimately, this thesis questions how, historically, the institutional structures of Freemasonry in South Africa have navigated the gender debate on membership from 1772 to 2024. It is argued that unlike more liberal settings of France where female Freemasonry has been recognised, albeit under the ‘guardianship’ of male lodges, the organisational structures in South Africa continue to reject female membership, reiterating this in 2024. Ironically, there is accommodation of transsexual people “born male” and men of colour during apartheid, but male membership was and continues to be restricted by class – membership fees must be paid. In addition, on a personal level, there are mixed reactions toward female membership but alarmingly the somewhat misogynistic excuses restricting female participation from the 18th century continue to circulate in contemporary views on recognition of women Freemasons. Narratives still reiterate outdated gendered roles and sense of paternalism towards women. South African male Freemasonry echoes the practices of England. Women Freemasonry arrived at the country through Le Droit Humain and the Order of Women Freemasons, but membership has been minimal and numbers are dwindling. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, contemporary interviews suggest that some women uphold the gendered norms of yesteryear. Secondly, some women prefer a gender-neutral alternative, thus opting for membership to mixed-gender lodges. This could be read as a shift from single-sex recognition to equality of the sexes. Another more simplistic conclusion can be drawn that the lower membership fees of the mixed-gender lodges have had a greater appeal amongst contemporary Freemasons. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwerp Vrymesselary as 'n geheime genootskap wat slegs vir mans bestaan, is reeds wyd nagevors en gepubliseer. Alhoewel hierdie publikasies 'n diepgaande geskiedenis van Vrymesselary regoor die wêreld bied, is dit belangrik om daarop te let dat min van hulle kritiese vrae oor gender of vroue se betrokkenheid vra. Daar is egter verskeie skrywers wat verkies het om oor die rol van vroue in Vrymesselary te skryf. Slegs 'n handjievol skrywers het al Vrymesselary in Suid-Afrika nagevors, maar nie een van hulle oorweeg die deelname van vroue nie. Die rol van manlikheid in die uitsluiting van vroue uit Vrymesselary is sentraal in hierdie vakkundige leemte. Daarom fokus hierdie verhandeling op 'n geskiedenis van Vrymesselary in Suid-Afrika en ondersoek eksklusiewe manlike losies, asook gemengde geslag- en eksklusiewe vroulike losies. Daarom ontleed hierdie tesis krities hoe die institusionele strukture van Vrymesselary in Suid-Afrika histories die geslagsdebat oor lidmaatskap van 1772 tot 2024 hanteer het. Daar word geargumenteer dat, anders as die meer liberale instellings van Frankryk waar vroulike Vrymesselary erken is, alhoewel onder die ‘voogdyskap’ van manlike losies, die organisasiestrukture in Suid-Afrika steeds voortgaan om vroulike lidmaatskap selfs so laat as 2024 te verwerp. Ironies genoeg is voorsiening gemaak vir transseksuele mense wat “manlik gebore” is en mans van kleur tydens apartheid, maar manlike lidmaatskap was en word steeds deur klas beperk – ledegeld moet betaal word. Boonop is daar op 'n persoonlike vlak gemengde reaksies teenoor vroulike lidmaatskap, maar die ietwat misogenistiese verskonings wat vroulike deelname vanaf die 18de eeu beperk, word steeds in eietydse sienings oor die erkenning van vroulike Vrymesselaars gereflekteer. Narratiewe herhaal steeds verouderde geslagsrolle en 'n gevoel van paternalisme teenoor vroue. Suid-Afrikaanse manlike Vrymesselary eggo die praktyke van Engeland. Vroue Vrymesselary het na Suid-Afrika gekom deur Le Droit Humain, maar lidmaatskap was minimaal en getalle is besig om te kwyn tot op die punt van uitsterwing. Daar is twee redes daarvoor. Eerstens dui kontemporêre getuienis daarop dat sommige vroue die geslagsnorme van weleer handhaaf. Tweedens verkies sommige vroue 'n geslagsneutrale alternatief en staan lidmaatskap van gemengde geslags-losies voor. Dit kan gesien word as 'n verskuiwing van enkelgeslagerkenning na gelykheid van die geslagte. Nog 'n meer simplistiese gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word dat die laer ledegeld van die gemengde geslag ordes 'n groter aantrekkingskrag onder hedendaagse Vrymesselaars het. Masters 2025-06-03T11:26:48Z 2025-06-03T11:26:48Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132318 en Stellenbosch University xi, 158 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Freemasonry -- South Africa -- History Women and freemasonry Secret societies -- Sociological aspects Freemasons -- South Africa -- History UCTD White, Tayla Shayne "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title | "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title_full | "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title_fullStr | "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title_full_unstemmed | "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title_short | "Making good men better" : gender and freemasonry in South Africa, c. 1772-2024 |
| title_sort | making good men better gender and freemasonry in south africa c 1772 2024 |
| topic | Freemasonry -- South Africa -- History Women and freemasonry Secret societies -- Sociological aspects Freemasons -- South Africa -- History UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132318 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT whitetaylashayne makinggoodmenbettergenderandfreemasonryinsouthafricac17722024 |