Editing Katipunan (section)

====Admission of women to the society====

At first, Katipunan was purely a patriotic society for men. Owing to the growing suspicion of the women regarding nocturnal absences of their husbands, the reduction of their monthly earnings and "long hours of work", Bonifacio had to bring them into the realms of the KKK. A section for women was established in the society: to become admitted, one must be a wife, a daughter, or a sister of a male ''katipunero''. It was estimated that from 20 to 50 women had become members of the society.<ref name="zaide 1957">{{Harvnb|Zaide|1957|p=157}}</ref>

The first woman to become a member of the Katipunan was [[Gregoria de Jesús]], wife of Bonifacio.<ref name="zaide 1957"/> Her codename was ''Lakambini'' (Princess).<ref>{{Harvnb|Gregoria de Jesus|1932}}</ref> Initially, there were 29 women were admitted to the Katipunan: Gregoria de Jesús, [[Marina Dizon]], president of the women's section; Josefa and [[Trinidad Rizal]], sisters of Dr. [[José Rizal]]; Angelica Lopez and [[Delfina Herbosa Natividad]], close relatives of Dr. Rizal; Carmén de Rodriguez; Marina Hizon; Benita Rodriguez; Semiona de Rémigio; Gregoria Montoya; [[Agueda Kahabagan]], [[Teresa Magbanua]], [[Trinidad Tecson]], rendered as "Mother of [[Republic of Biak-na-Bato|Biak-na-Bato]]";<ref name="Rojas:Warriors">{{cite web|url=http://jeanrojas.tripod.com/id13.html|title=Filipino Women Warriors|last=Rojas|first=Jean|access-date=August 19, 2009}}</ref> [[Nazaria Lagos]]; [[Patrocinio Gamboa]]; [[Marcela Agoncillo]]; [[Melchora Aquino]], the "Grand Old Woman of Balintawak";<ref name="Rojas:Warriors"/> Marta Saldaña and Macaria Pañgilinan.<ref>{{Harvnb|Fernandez|1930}}</ref>

The women rendered valuable services to the Katipunan.<ref>{{Harvnb|Zaide|November 26, 1932}}</ref> They guarded the secret papers and documents of the society. Whenever the Katipunan held sessions in a certain house, they usually made merry, singing and dancing with some of the men in the living room so that the [[Civil Guard (Spain)|civil guard]] were led that there was nothing but a harmless social party within.<ref name="zaide 1957"/>

Though women are considered to be members of the Katipunan, information regarding the women's section were scarce and sometimes conflicting.<ref name="Richardson: 2007">{{cite web|url=http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/studies.kkk.mla.htm|title=Studies on the Katipunan: Notes on the Katipunan in Manila, 1892–96|last=Richardson|first=Jim|date=February 2007|access-date=August 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211192550/http://kasaysayan-kkk.info/studies.kkk.mla.htm|archive-date=February 11, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Teodoro Agoncillo]], for example, disregarded Marina Dizon and concluded that Josefa Rizal was the only president of the said section.<ref>{{Harvnb|Agoncillo|1956|p=55}}</ref> [[Gregorio Zaide]], on the other hand, mentioned Dizon's presidency in his 1939 publication ''History of the Katipunan''<ref>{{Harvnb|Zaide|1939|p=21}}</ref> but changed his mind when he adopted Dr. [[Pío Valenzuela]]'s notion that women-members did not elect officers, hence there is no room for president.<ref>{{Harvnb|Zaide|1973|p=44}}</ref>