The conspiracy theories about Masons are overblown. While they do use many special symbols and clothing, most of these are public knowledge, not secret or sinister. [3] X Research source There are some secret ceremonies for members only. [4] X Research source

Lodges that call themselves “regular” tend to be more traditional. They don’t accept atheists or women (though woman can sometimes join a sister organization). [5] X Research source Most Masons in the English-speaking world and the former British Empire are this type. [6] X Research source “Liberal” or “continental” lodges, most popular in France but found worldwide, typically accept women and atheists as members. [7] X Research source

Since 2018, the most influential Masonic Grand Lodge (the UGLE) has officially allowed trans men. [9] X Research source Other lodges might not.

Even in more traditional areas like England, there are women-only organizations like The Order of Women Freemasons. The larger male organizations might not officially recognize these as Masons, but they can still have fairly close ties. [12] X Research source

Petition forms usually ask for a lot of personal info, including employment and criminal history. The lodge uses these to investigate your character, and might not accept you if your form doesn’t have complete and honest information. [14] X Research source

You can find the contact info for most of the traditional “regular” Grand Lodges at https://www. ugle. org. uk/contact-us/interested-in-becoming-a-freemason. Less traditional “liberal” lodges are not as common in the US and UK, though a few do exist. If you’re in continental Europe, try contacting one of the lodges listed at https://www. ame-ema. eu/en/ema/obediences.

The length of time this takes depends on your lodge and how much time you have available. A few months is typical in many US lodges, while liberal-style lodges often add and expect the process to take at least 2 years. [19] X Research source Liberal lodges may also have additional degrees to study for beyond Master. [20] X Research source

Some lodges charge quite a lot for the formal dinners they hold after each meeting, but attending these is optional. [22] X Research source There might be some one-time costs as well, but these aren’t usually too steep. For instance, the Illinois lodge charges an extra $100 total for climbing the ranks of membership. [23] X Research source

Traditional Masonic lodges talk about moral principles in religious terms. They require a belief in a Supreme Being, but forbid talking about specific religions at meetings. Protestant Christianity has the strongest ties to Masonic ritual, and a Bible is open at meetings, but some lodges add other holy books from their members’ other religions. [26] X Research source “Liberal” Masonic lodges have no religious requirement for membership. Unlike regular lodges, they often allow discussions of specific religions (or atheism), but do not expect their members to agree.

You aren’t expected to attend every single event, of course, but it can be a pretty serious time commitment. Masonic organizations sometimes say that their members should put family first, job second, and Freemasonry third. [28] X Research source

Different lodges follow different traditions, with the Scottish Rites being one of the most popular. [30] X Research source Since each lodge also has a lot of control over what it does, you can’t really know exactly what to expect before joining.