# The Decline of the American Fraternal Organizations **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-the-american-fraternal-organizations/524652 "2010-01-12T13:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-the-american-fraternal-organizations/524652/61 "2010-02-04T02:52:11Z")
When my husband was having significant problems, one of the things I suggested to him was joining one of those organizations, precisely because it is filled with men and older men at that. The devotion to service to others was also a very large reason. He suffered a severe loss of direction when his grandfather died. I feel to this day that instead of hanging out with guys his age, who can’t really offer him guidance, he would do much better in some sort of fraternal order. Where, besides church, do men really get an opportunity to relate to/with older men nowadays? Cool Story: I had two male customers a few weeks back. Turns out they were some order of something. One guy was recently widowed and his Order buddies were taking him out, making him do stuff and generally watching over him like a bunch of hens. The kindness shown to this man and his appreciation of it was vastly apparent to me. He had a support system that was NOT going to let him fall. Oh, and they had the coolest motorcycles ever. Jester bike dude, you rock! ---
**Author:** ![Theodore\_Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Theodore\_Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore_Striker)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-the-american-fraternal-organizations/524652/62 "2010-02-04T15:29:14Z")
I think that a generation was lost between the now 70 somethings and the now 30 somethings, and it most likely seems that is was caused by the Vietnam era from what others are saying. I am 33, and the the only order members Imy grandparents and their friends. I would personally like to get involved, we have a Moose and Elks nearby, and they both seem to be doing fairly well, but I have no idea how, as most membership seems to be “ask a \_\_\_\_” and get two sponsors or so… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-the-american-fraternal-organizations/524652/63 "2010-02-04T17:52:23Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > I think the people who touched on gender nailed it. Who’s got time for this sort of club if you’re actually co-parenting rather than coming home to a hot meal, clean house and kids who are seen and not heard? Interestingly, a lot of these groups went co-ed decades ago. We had one young woman who was really surprised that she could join the Elks, and I told her that (a) we have women as _officers_ in our lodge, and (b) the Elks have been accepting women for her entire lifetime! Our lodge allows kids, too. There are couples that stop by after work and the kids can socialize or play videogames while the parents have a drink. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-the-american-fraternal-organizations/524652.md?page=3)