Le Droit Humain

The first female Freemason of modern times is Maria Deraismes (1828-1894) (pictured here). She was initiated on14th January 1882 as an equal member into an otherwise all male French lodge- Les Libres Penseurs (the Free Thinkers) – meeting in Pecq, a small town outside Paris. She was from a prosperous middle class Parisian family and had been actively involved in promoting women’s rights and the cause of education for women.