Le Droit Humain: international mixed Masonic order

Le Droit Humain — officially named “International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women” — is an international Masonic order of a mixed nature, founded in Paris in 1893, whose membership is open to men and women on equal terms, without distinction of nationality, religion, or ethnicity. This practice, known as “Co-Freemasonry” or mixed Freemasonry, constitutes one of the most widespread currents within contemporary Freemasonry due to its explicit defense of gender equality within the initiatic tradition.

Founding history

The order was founded in Paris (France) in 1893 by Georges Martin and Maria Deraismes. Both co-founders promoted the creation of a Freemasonry that would overcome the historical exclusion of women from Masonic lodges, while maintaining the ancient teachings and traditions of Freemasonry. The exact date of the founding act, according to documentation preserved in the history of the British Federation, was April 4, 1893.

The initiative of Martin and Deraismes was part of the broader debate on the role of women in initiatic societies and in European public life at the end of the 19th century. The creation of Le Droit Humain represented a synthesis between inherited Masonic tradition and the ideals of equality and fraternity characteristic of the progressive thought of the era. The order was thus constituted as an alternative both to exclusively masculine Masonic obediences and to the feminine organizations then in existence.

Principles and objectives

Le Droit Humain is based on the ancient teachings and traditions of Freemasonry and uses Masonic ritual and symbolism in the search for truth. Its objectives are articulated on two complementary levels: individual and collective.

At the individual level, the order seeks “to promote the progress of individual worth, without imposing dogmas, nor requiring the abandonment of cultural or religious ideas.” This principle implies a profound respect for the freedom of conscience of each member, as well as for their prior cultural and religious background. Adherence to any creed or the abandonment of one’s own convictions is not required to become a member of the order.

At the collective level, the order aims “to unite men and women who share a humanist spirituality, respecting individual and cultural differences.” This humanist spirituality is distinguished from traditional religious confessions by its non-dogmatic character and by its emphasis on universal fraternity as a central value. The cultural and religious diversity of its members is considered an enrichment, not an obstacle, to Masonic coexistence.

Organizational structure

Unlike other Masonic organizations limited to national jurisdictions, Le Droit Humain is conceived as a global fraternity. The order has multiple Federations and Jurisdictions throughout the world, each of which works the Scottish Rite from the 1st to the 33rd degree. This structure of degrees, characteristic of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, is implemented uniformly across all federations.

The central administration of the order corresponds to the Supreme Council, based in Paris. Within the International Constitution, member Federations enjoy freedom of self-government, allowing them to adapt their operations to the legal and cultural particularities of their respective countries, without detriment to the doctrinal and ritual unity of the order.

Regarding its extent, Le Droit Humain has approximately 34,000 members in more than 70 countries, distributed across all inhabited continents. This global presence makes it one of the most widespread mixed Masonic organizations in the world.

Notable Federations

Belgian Federation

The Belgian Federation of Le Droit Humain is defined as an umbrella body of Masonic lodges accessible to men and women, working the 33 symbolic degrees of Freemasonry. The first Belgian lodge of the order was founded in 1912, thus integrating into the international development of mixed Freemasonry in Europe.

British Federation

The British Federation has a particular role in the history of the order, as its establishment formalized the international character of Le Droit Humain. On September 26, 1902, the lodge “Human Duty No. 6” was consecrated in London, an act that marked the beginning of what would later become the British Federation.

The three most cited figures in the history of this federation are Annie Besant, Maria Deraismes, and Georges Martin. In 1902, Annie Besant was initiated in Paris and, along with other members, founded the lodge “Human Duty No. 6.” At that time, the British Federation was known as “The Order of Universal Co-Freemasonry in Great Britain and the British Dependencies.” Besant was installed as the first “Right Worshipful Master” of the lodge.

In her inaugural speech, Besant uttered words that have remained as a testimony to the spirit of the order: “If it is true that it was the English who brought Freemasonry to France, then it is the French who today bring it back regenerated to England, completed and strengthened by the admission of women into the Lodge alongside men. I salute this beautiful day which affirms, after almost two centuries, and even more strongly, the pressing need for human fraternity.”

The development of the British Federation was slow, as its founders were new to Freemasonry. According to Scottish tradition, the original badges were green, as can be observed at the federation’s current headquarters. In 1912, the badges were changed to the official colors of the order: ruby and sapphire.

The initial ritual was a translation of the French ritual that initiated the founders. Subsequently, copies of the standard Scottish ritual, hand-edited, were used. The first iteration of its own ritual was the “Dharma Ritual,” created around 1904, which combined French and Scottish traditions with Besant’s Theosophical influences, including her “Mystic Charges.” This ritual evolved until it became the “Lauderdale Ritual,” used in most of the craft lodges of the Federation.

Regarding its premises, the first lodge met at 24 Albemarle Street, London. In 1936, due to the growth of the Federation, the headquarters moved to 10 Ladbroke Terrace, London. Finally, in 1992, the headquarters moved to its current address: Hexagon House, 37-39 Surbiton Hill Road, Surrey.

Secessions and derived organizations

The history of the British Federation includes several secessions that reflect the internal tensions of the order in its early decades. The first secession was the “Honorable Fraternity of Antient Masonry,” formed on June 20, 1908, today known as the “Order of Women Freemasons.” The cause of this separation was concern over the excessive influence of the Paris headquarters over the British Federation. Initially mixed, since the 1920s this organization has admitted only women.

In 1913, due to disputes over the Royal Arch degree, “The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons” was formed, which was exclusively feminine from its inception.

In 1925, Aimee Bothwell Gosse separated from the British Federation to found the “Order of Ancient Free and Accepted Masonry for Men and Women,” citing as her reason the excessive Theosophical influence under Annie Besant, who was president of the Theosophical Society. Bothwell Gosse had been a member of that society but left it in 1924. No traces of that order remain, nor any record of its official date of dissolution.

Current situation

Le Droit Humain is currently presented as an international Masonic order with a presence on all continents, maintaining its founding commitment to gender equality and universal fraternity. Its approximately 34,000 members, distributed across more than 70 countries, work under the authority of the Supreme Council of Paris, within the framework of the Scottish Rite and with full autonomy for national federations.

The order constitutes one of the most widespread mixed Masonic organizations in the world, with more than a century of uninterrupted history since its founding in 1893. Its existence has influenced the debate on female participation in Freemasonry and has given rise to various derived organizations, both mixed and exclusively feminine, which have broadened the landscape of contemporary Freemasonry.

Sources

• Le Droit Humain — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Droit_Humain