Saturday, June 7, 2014

The Check

As has been published through the Masonic world, there is an edict in a Masonic jurisdiction stating that only men born and remaining male can apply for membership in a lodge That got me thinking on how one would implement such an edict.

Well, I got lucky, fellas. I've been watching the Borgias, an excellent Showtime TV series which has since been cancelled. (Thank you, Netflix, for still having it available) The Borgias examines the life and times of Pope Alexander and his five children and long time mistress. It's a great show that I recommend.


Anyway, on the show, the Pope-elect undergoes a traditional examination to determine his masculinity called the "testes and pendentes" test. What happens is that a large chair with a hole in the seat is brought into the conclave and the Pope-elect, in a ceremonial white gown, is seated. Then, the Chamberlain checks to see that he has one penis and two testes.

I would like to propose that we adopt a similar tradition. My proposal is that we have a chair with a hole placed within the preparation room. The seat would need to be on stilts with a ladder on one side. The candidate would be asked to sit, at which point, the Junior Steward would go under the chair and do the Masonic version of the "testes and pendentes" examination. He would then report that news to the lodge in a ritualistic way.

The one fear I have is that the Junior Steward will conduct this examination before he has made the meal so this would also necessitate that no EA degree may begin without the meal being served first.

Brothers, I really hope we can work this into Masonry somehow. As you know, the population that is transgender is, in one calculation, slightly below one percent. That means that out of every petition we receive, one of those petitioners could maybe, possibly, sorta, kinda, be transgender.

Guard the West Gate, my brothers. Install a "Testes and Pendentes" chair in your lodge hall today.

1 comment:

Tom Accuosti said...

I imagine that the preparation rooms will have blindfolds, cable tows, and hand sanitizers handy.