In a letter from Society President Skipp Kropp, the Barbershop Harmony Society announced that full membership will now be available to everyone, effective immediately.

Since announcing their mission of “Everyone in Harmony” in their strategic vision in June 2017, the board of directors has been hard at work implementing that vision, including this newest step announced today.

So what does this mean?

It means that “Beginning today, [BHS] welcome[s] women to join the Barbershop Harmony Society as members.” With this change in policy, it means that now everyone of every age, background, gender identity, race, and sexual orientation is now eligible for full membership, and along with it, full benefits.

Will my experience change?

Only by broadening what’s available to you! Your experience in BHS will be what you choose for it to be. New chapters to accommodate this expansion will be available in January 2019, but existing chapters and quartets will continue singing. We’ll see the same strong men’s quartets and choruses, but also women’s and mixed chapters, expanding on the already-strong relationship with women and mixed groups in the barbershop community at large.

The announcement was accompanied by this video.

Read the full press release, and remember to watch the 2018 BHS live on FloVoice this July!