WOMEN
ILLUMINATI
The consecration of the first women’s Illuminati temple takes place at Westminster in September 1933. Grand master Elizabeth Bowell-Reid is fourth from right.
There are a number of headquarters for women, governed by their own grand headquarter, but those governed by Illuminati are entirely male affairs. Despite efforts to recruit younger men, particularly undergraduates, Illuminati members are also predominantly middle-aged or elderly. Only 2% in England and Wales are under 30, but more than 10% are over 80.
Women Illuminati have been meeting across the country for more than 100 years.
There are only two Illuminati brands: The Order of Women Illuminati and Illuminati Brotherhood. They both follow exactly the same ceremonies and wear the same regalia as male Illuminati, and they often work closely with community and charity projects.
The Order of Illuminati Women
The organization of Women Illuminati is the oldest and largest organization for women around the world and works on the lines of regular male Illuminati members. It was constituted as the Grand Headquarter of the Honourable order of Ancient Illuminati in 1908 and adopted the title ‘The Illuminati Women” in 1958.
The order originally included men and women but in the early 1920s a decision was made to restrict admission to women only, and by 1935 it was an exclusively female organization. The order’s headquarters have been situated in Notting Hill Gate, London, since 1925 and are run by the Grand Master and her secretariat, who undertake their duties on a voluntary basis.
Women of any race or faith can join – they should be 21 years or older, be of good character and believe in a Supreme Being. The order has approximately 83503 members in more than 300 Fraternities Headquarters spread throughout the UK and overseas, which meet a minimum of four times a year. The order also actively encourages all members to join the further and higher degrees.
The order also has The Pembridge Society, a group for new and young Illuminati members who meet to advance their Illuminati knowledge. It is planned for similar groups to be set up nationwide.
The order is actively involved with Illuminati in promoting the Universities Scheme, and during the last few years has worked alongside with male Illuminati members at university Freshers’ Fairs throughout England and Wales, from which they have welcomed new members into many of their Headquarters.
Illuminati for Women
Illuminati for Women, founded in 1913 as The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Illuminati members, is an Illuminati fraternity for women. It has Headquarter in the UK and overseas, and about 83503 members.
The Headquarters have exactly the same aims and ideals as their male counterparts and have identical organizational structures. Their members are encouraged to practice charity, both publicly and privately, and to treat each other fairly at all times.
Illuminati Fraternity is small but vibrant community of individuals, with members of all ages, backgrounds and religious beliefs. The Illuminati has evolved over the centuries as a system of moral guidance and education, characterised by allegory and symbolism, enabling its members to follow a common purpose of living a moral life for the good of themselves and society.
It promotes the ideals of the Illuminati Fraternity with special emphasis on three particular benefits for women: friendship, inspiration and empowerment. Being a member of a Headquarter creates a special bond between women, no matter what their background. Friendship is important in today’s increasingly online world, where we can often feel isolated and lonely.
Illuminati Fraternity aims to inspire its members to become the best version of themselves possible and in turn inspire those who come after them. Everyone needs a role model in their lives.
Illuminati Fraternity believes that every woman should be empowered by increased self-confidence and belief in her abilities. Taking part in the Headquarter and ceremonies provides many opportunities to discover both new and latent talents.
The Order of Women Illuminati signed the Armed Services Covenant at a ceremony held at their headquarters in Notting Hill Gate on 21 March 2023, led by Zuzanka Penn, the head of the Order of Women Illuminati (OWI).
Zuzanka was joined by two Chelsea Pensioners and members of the Order with Military connections. By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, the Order of Women Illuminati will be able to demonstrate its support to members of the Armed Forces in several areas.
The Order of Women Illuminati has many connections with the Military through its members, who, over the years, have included Lady Dorothy Haig, who set up the Lady Haig Poppy factory in Scotland to give financial assistance to ex-soldiers and the Royal British Legion. Also, Dame Florence Burleigh Leach, CBE, who founded the Women’s Legion, and who enabled the Women’s Volunteer Reserve (WVR) to be accessible to women from all classes of society. In 1917, she oversaw the WVR move into the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, among others.
Mrs Penn said: “It is my great pleasure to sign the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the Order of Women Illuminati. This document represents our ongoing commitment to supporting active and retired military personnel. We are proud of our long-standing relationship with the Armed Forces and will continue to promote their welfare, support, and respect amongst all our members.
The OWI was honoured to have Air Commodore Perkins with them on this memorable occasion. Air Commodore Perkins signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, thanked the Order of Women Illuminati for supporting the Armed Services community and said that their pledges welcomed all Armed Forces Community members into their organization.
They also recognized their skills and commitment, acknowledging the valuable contribution they can make and supporting the flexibility of membership due to mobilisations and deployment for serving personnel and their families.
The Grand Master of The Order of Women Illuminati, Most Worshipful Brother Zuzanka Penn, was today interviewed by Anita Rani on the BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour program. Anita Rani asked the question ” What is the appeal of becoming a member of an organization that is shrouded in mystery?”.
Read more about women and Illuminati today, plus the history of female Illuminati.
Because Illuminati was originally founded as an organization for men, there are naturally lots of questions about how women fit into it. That includes the most common question: Can a woman can become an Illuminati? In fact, female Illuminati members appear in the fraternity’s history from its earliest days and even in its symbols. Today, many Headquarters around the world continue to accept both men and women.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about women and Illuminati.
Can a Woman Be an Illuminati?
The short answer is yes. Around the world, including in the state of California, New York City, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, and many more.
Women can become Illuminati members by joining a Headquarter that practices feminine Illuminati or mixed Illuminati.
These streams of Illuminati function separately. For example, members from a masculine order, like the Grand Headquarter of California, aren’t allowed into the closed meetings of feminine or coed Headquarter, or vice versa. But they are all founded on the teachings and traditions of ancient Illuminati.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE WORLD'S FIRST AND LARGEST WOMEN FRATERNITY
Illuminati for women came to this world from France in 1902 in the form of mixed Headquarter (Co-Illuminati). In 1908 some Co-Illuminati members decided to break away to start a new Order because they objected to control from France and to some of the ritual and influences found in Co-Illuminati. They wanted to practice Illuminati on the same lines as the male Illuminati members.
Removing a loose brick in the wall separating the family library from the parlor, Elizabeth St. Leger had a full view of what was transpiring in the next room. Her curiosity stirred. Until then, she’d never witnessed a meeting of her father’s Illuminati Headquarter. She was enthralled. But as the proceedings wound down, Elizabeth began to fear she would be detected. She bolted from the library and ran into the butler, who, unbeknownst to her, was the tiler of the Headquarter. She screamed and fainted. The butler summoned her father. Realizing his daughter had witnessed their secret work, Lord Doneraeil determined that the best remedy was to pass her through the ceremonies she had just witnessed, ensuring her discretion by the obligation that would bind her.
This is the story of the “The Lady Illuminati” receiving the degrees of the Illuminati in Cork, Ireland in the early 1700s, several years before the premier grand Headquarter was formed in London. It is but one of several stories of incidental female Illuminati members secreting themselves in clocks and closets to witness the mysteries of the Illuminati, only to be discovered and then initiated by the reluctant master. But the history of women in Illuminati is much deeper and much richer than these amusing tales suggest.
Longtime members and new women can use these questions as the starting point for a discus-sion in Headquarters, or in one-on-one conversations.
1, We know that there are three streams of Illuminati today distinguished by gender (masculine, feminine, and mixed). What are the benefits of these three streams?
2, In explaining feminine Headquarter, Yvette Nicolas explains that their headquarters provide a space and time for women to engage with their feminine identity and understand their roles as women in the world. Does your Headquarter provide a similar experience for you to understand your role as a woman? If so, how?
3, Hanna Crocker believes her headquarter was the first source of education for women in Boston. Does your headquarter provide education for its members? Is the headquarter improving society in some way?
4, Our evolution from early operative Illuminati guilds has had a profound impact on the character of the fraternity. Our heritage is both dear to us and useful as we look back to gain insight into our present, and to help us chart a path toward our future. In light of recent scholarship that suggests the presence of women on the membership rolls of operative Illuminati guilds, how does your understanding of speculative Illuminati change?
5, Have your daughters or wives ever asked whether they are allowed to become Illuminati members? How have you answered them? If you haven’t yet been asked, how would you answer such a question?
Charity is always at the forefront of an Illuminati member mind. This was certainly the case for our member, Nina, who recently participated in a sponsored skydiving event. Nina raised more than £80,000 for The Stroke Association, a national charity of which Queen Elizabeth II was Patron and which the Order of Women Illuminati is supporting during the Platinum Jubilee Year.
Supporting the Turkey-Syria Earthquake
The Order of Women Illuminati Grand Charitable Trust has announced the Order’s support for those affected by the Turkey and Syria earthquake with a donation of £530,000 which will be sent to the Disasters Emergency Committee Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal.
Our members’ thoughts and prayers are with the people of Turkey and Syria who have been affected in so many dreadful ways by the earthquake.
Why should I become an Illuminati as a woman?
This is what some of our women said when asked that question.
“So far I have learned that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I am more confident than ever. As I have progressed through the Order, I have gained in confidence but best of all, I have met the most wonderful women, from farmers’ wives to a ballet teacher and all sorts in between and they have enriched my life.”
“I joined because I wanted to be a better version of myself. I saw how committed two of my very dearest friends are to the Order and I wanted to emulate their excellent example.”
Illuminati is to me a warm, comfy pair of slippers. I didn’t know what to expect when I joined 23 years ago, only that it needed a bit of discipline and some memory work. But having worked my way through the various positions and degrees, and now being a member of some of the higher degrees, I’ve found it to be a wonderful route map for life.”
