# can women join the illuminati? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 12, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358 "2002-11-12T03:01:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![avanti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@avanti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/avanti)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/1 "2002-11-12T03:01:53Z")
Could I, as a woman, be more than merely coffee carrier? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/2 "2002-11-12T03:40:44Z")
We Illuminati accept applications at a Starbucks near you. How the hell else do you think we make our operational expense funds? Tripler What exactly is a “coffee carrier”? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/3 "2002-11-12T04:23:15Z")
The Illuminati does not exist anymore. It was founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, an Austrian bent on odd religious/social ideas and existed for a while as a secret society within the Freemasons, themselves a bit secretive (much moreso at the time, of course). It eventually died out and is now a nonentity, save paranoid pipe dreams and the Discordian religion. The modern Illuminati is like the modern Discordianism: A historical group and philosophy revived by the 1975 novel _Illuminatus_ by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. In the novel, the Illuminati are an Authoritarian force bent on global domination and empowering a few Illuminated at the expense of the world. The Discordians, contrariwise, are an Anarchistic force devoted to a kind of insanity called mysticism. Discordianism is the worship of the Greek goddess Eris (Discordia in Latin), the goddess of chaos. In Classical mythology, Eris started the Trojan War by having Hera and Aphrodite vie for a golden apple marked `Kallisti’ (for the fairest). In the novel, Eris’ prop is a pile of Acupulco Gold. 🙂 fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/4 "2002-11-12T05:06:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*The Illuminati does not exist anymore. \*\* **Derleth** , shhhhhhhhh!!! > [@](#): > > **It eventually died out and is now a nonentity, save paranoid pipe dreams and the Discordian religion.** Will you pipe down!?!? > [@](#): > > \*\*The modern Illuminati is like the modern Discordianism: A historical group and philosophy revived by the 1975 novel _Illuminatus_ by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. In the novel, the Illuminati are an Authoritarian force bent on global domination and empowering a few Illuminated at the expense of the world. \*\* SHHHHHHHHHH!!! Shut up! You’re gonna ruin everything!! 😃 Tripler Ignore that Doper behind the curtain. ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/5 "2002-11-12T05:22:26Z")
Precisely who were you intending to prosecute under anti-discrimination laws? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/6 "2002-11-12T06:08:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Motog \* > > \*\*Precisely who were you intending to prosecute under anti-discrimination laws? \*\* Huh? ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/7 "2002-11-12T06:16:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*Huh? \*\* Sorry, maybe my comment wasn’t very clear. It was supposed to be a mildly humorous (though I obviously failed in that regard) comment on the fact that the Illuminati is supposedly a _secret_ society that rules the world. Any attempt by **avanti** to take action against them if they aren’t equal opportunity employers is likely to be foiled by their secretive nature (that and the fact they don’t exist). ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/8 "2002-11-12T07:00:39Z")
I’m starting the Illuminati Straightdopian Chapter and all persons are accepted as members (as well as persons without members) Together we shall rule the world (but mums the word) ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/9 "2002-11-12T07:20:48Z")
The first rule of the illuminati is that you do not talk about the illuminati. The second rule of the illuminati is that you do NOT TALK about the illuminati. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/10 "2002-11-12T07:48:45Z")
The third rule of the illuminati: Make soap ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/11 "2002-11-12T08:08:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shalmanese \* > \*\*The first rule of the illuminati is that you do not talk about the illuminati. > > The second rule of the illuminati is that you do NOT TALK about the illuminati. \*\* Clearly therefore you are not a member. Or you are not a member who obeys the rules. Or perhaps you are a member, and you know about the third rule… And a free membership is offered for anyone who can tell me what the third rule is ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/12 "2002-11-12T08:09:44Z")
Well, OK, in deference to **Seven** , make that the fourth rule. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/13 "2002-11-12T08:12:13Z")
[The Master Speaks.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_043.html) [And Speaks Again.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_022.html) Now, Shhhh! ---
**Author:** ![ZomZom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zomzom/32/5620_2.png) [@ZomZom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZomZom)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/14 "2002-11-12T13:25:50Z")
If you’re into video games you can join the Illuminati in their quest for world domination in the game [Deus Ex](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005B44D/qid=1037106689/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-5840752-1628842?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846). Also available for the [Playstaion 2](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005NCAM/qid=1037106689/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-5840752-1628842?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846). ---
**Author:** ![avanti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@avanti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/avanti)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/15 "2002-11-12T14:31:16Z")
i didn’t want to sue - but simply to empower myself and rule the world. i was worried that i may have been a lowly minion, bringing coffee to the big dogs. sadly, my dreams will never be realized. and it seems as though all those imaginary women’s dreams were dashed as well. shucks. thanks for the info. fnord. avanti ---
**Author:** ![aenea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@aenea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aenea)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-women-join-the-illuminati/136358/16 "2002-11-12T18:28:38Z")
Empower yourself and rule the world? Hell’s bells woman, you don’t need the Illuminati for that. You have us now! Welcome to the Straight Dope. 🙂