Disclaimer: This is not to start a debate. I've been trying to research this issue on HISTORICAL grounds and many sources online are clearly biased or just not very useful. In short, I'm looking for sources...not arguments. Now, on to the meat of my OP...
I have a friend who's Episcopalian. She's cradle Anglican, but is just now coming back into her church to be confirmed...she's in her mid-20s. We met recently, as she is in this process, and we've talked a lot about Episcopalianism vs. Orthodoxy, etc. She's been reading, and I've done a good deal of listening from her about her thoughts, and what the Episcopalians teach (with which I'm vaguely familiar, having considered Anglicanism briefly before learning about Orthodoxy). However, she is unfortunately rather liberal on the same issues that the Episcopalians have departed from the historic Faith, including women's ordination. I feel like this will eventually be an issue we talk about.
For me, in converting to Orthodoxy, this wasn't a big issue and I didn't research it very much. As I'm probably going to have to address this now, I'm looking more for historical information about the ordination of women in various Christian groups. I know the Orthodox Catholic Church has never ordained women to the priesthood, only the diaconate, but I'd like to know about certain sects, outside of modern Protestantism, that have ordained women. I feel like I've heard about Gnostics ordaining women, and perhaps other similar early groups. I'd like to know as much as about this, with sources, that I can. I know it's not the easiest to learn, as heretical teachings were often burned, but that's why I'm asking you knowledgeable folks for help! Let me know what you know...I look forward to seeing what awesome things you all dig up!