What Is the Order of the Eastern Star? Membership, Symbols and Its Masonic Connection

The Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a fraternal, charitable organization in the wider Masonic family that is open to eligible women and men. It has its own Chapters, officers, ceremonies and membership rules. It is closely connected with Masonry, but it is not the same thing as a Craft Masonic lodge, and women who join Eastern Star are not thereby becoming Craft Freemasons.

That last distinction matters because searches for women of Eastern Star, female Freemasons and women in Masonry often overlap. The organizations do not.

If your question is whether women can participate in Craft Freemasonry itself, use our separate guide Can Women Be Freemasons?. This page owns the different question: What is the Order of the Eastern Star and how does it connect to Freemasonry?

How is the Order of the Eastern Star connected to Freemasonry?

The General Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star describes OES as an associated body in the family of Masonry. Its development is closely linked to Dr. Rob Morris, a Freemason who helped shape the Order’s teachings and structure in the nineteenth century.

The connection is also built into eligibility. Men who petition must be Master Masons in good standing. Women qualify through one of several routes recognized by the Order, which can include a Masonic family relationship, qualifying participation in certain Masonic youth organizations, or sponsorship under current rules.

So Eastern Star is neither a completely unrelated civic club nor simply another Craft Lodge. It is better understood as a distinct Masonic-family organization.

Can women join the Order of the Eastern Star?

Yes. Women make up a central part of Eastern Star membership and leadership.

Current General Grand Chapter membership information lists several eligibility routes for women age 18 or older. Depending on the route, a woman may qualify through:

• a recognized relationship by birth, marriage or adoption to a past or present Master Mason in good standing;
• qualifying active or majority membership in the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls or Job’s Daughters International; or
• sponsorship by two Eastern Star members, one Sister and one Brother, under the Order’s current process.

This is important because older summaries sometimes say that a woman must be related to a Mason. That is no longer a complete description of the current General Grand Chapter rules. Local jurisdictional procedures still matter, so a prospective member should verify with the relevant Grand Chapter or local Chapter.

Can men join Eastern Star?

Yes, but the route is different. Men petitioning the Order must be Master Masons in good standing of a regular Lodge recognized under the applicable rules.

That makes Eastern Star a mixed-gender fraternal organization, but it does not make it a mixed-gender Craft Masonic lodge. Its membership basis, ceremonies and governance are separate.

Is Eastern Star the same as women’s Freemasonry?

No. This is the canonical distinction that prevents these topics from cannibalizing each other.

Women-only Grand Lodges such as the Order of Women Freemasons and Freemasonry for Women (HFAF) work forms of Craft Freemasonry. Eastern Star, by contrast, is a Masonic-associated organization with its own membership system and Chapter structure.

A woman asking “Can I become a Freemason?” may be looking for a Craft Masonic body. A woman asking “Can I join Eastern Star if my father wasn’t a Mason?” is asking a different membership question. In a March 2026 public discussion, exactly that kind of confusion appeared when a woman with no Masonic family connection asked how she could join OES. The current official rules now make sponsorship an important answer to that search intent.

What does the Eastern Star symbol mean?

The most recognizable public emblem of the Order is a five-pointed star. The five points are associated in public OES material with five biblical women whose stories are used to teach moral lessons: Adah, Ruth, Esther, Martha and Electa.

The symbol should not be treated as interchangeable with the Square and Compasses. Both can appear within the broader Masonic family, but they belong to different organizational identities.

If you are researching the Square and Compasses itself, see Square and Compass Meaning in Freemasonry.

What does an Eastern Star Chapter do?

Eastern Star Chapters combine fraternal meetings, charitable work, service, fellowship and ceremonial traditions. Public descriptions from Grand Chapters emphasize charity, friendship and community service.

Local practice varies. A Chapter may support local charities, scholarships, Masonic-family causes and community projects. Members may also attend social events and visit other Chapters.

As with Freemasonry, an informational guide does not need to reproduce private ceremonial details to explain what the organization is or help a prospective member decide whether it fits.

Is Eastern Star a religion?

No. Official Eastern Star organizations describe the Order as fraternal and charitable rather than a church or denomination. Its teachings use biblical figures and moral lessons, and membership rules include spiritual-belief requirements, but members may come from different religious backgrounds.

Because exact wording can differ across jurisdictions, anyone considering membership should check the current local Grand Chapter rules rather than assume that one state or province’s page controls everywhere.

Where does Eastern Star fit among other Masonic bodies?

It sits within the broader Masonic family alongside many organizations that have distinct eligibility rules and purposes. It should not be placed on a “higher-degree” ladder with Scottish Rite or York Rite.

For a map of those relationships, read Masonic Appendant Bodies Explained. That article owns the broad organizational map; this article owns Eastern Star membership, identity and its specific Masonic relationship.

How do you join the Order of the Eastern Star?

1. Confirm eligibility. Use the General Grand Chapter or your jurisdiction’s Grand Chapter rules.
2. Find a local Chapter. Contact the appropriate jurisdiction rather than relying on an unofficial social account.
3. Ask about sponsorship if needed. Women without a qualifying Masonic family relationship may still have a route through sponsorship under current rules.
4. Complete the local petition process. Fees, investigation procedures and meeting schedules vary.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have to have a Mason in your family to join Eastern Star?

Not necessarily. Current General Grand Chapter rules include sponsorship and qualifying youth-organization routes for women in addition to Masonic family relationships.

Does a woman become a Freemason by joining Eastern Star?

No. Eastern Star membership is not Craft Masonic membership.

Can a man join Eastern Star?

Yes. Men must meet the Order’s Master Mason eligibility requirements.

Is Eastern Star only in the United States?

No. The General Grand Chapter includes Grand Jurisdictions and Chapters in the United States, Canada and other countries. Structure and local procedures can vary.

Is the five-pointed Eastern Star symbol a Masonic degree symbol?

It is the distinctive emblem of the Order of the Eastern Star, not a numbered Craft Masonic degree.

Specific product match: For a confirmed Eastern Star member, see the Order of the Eastern Star Masonic Gloves.

Sources and further reading

• General Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star — official site
• Order of the Eastern Star — current membership eligibility
• Grand Chapter of British Columbia and Yukon — membership and organization information

If you are exploring Masonic-family symbolism through a keepsake or gift, our Masonic Coins collection focuses on familiar Masonic designs. Always match a symbol to the correct organization before assuming that it establishes a person’s membership.