Daughters of the American Revolution Members Quit Over Transgender Fears

Fears that an update to the Daughters of the American Revolution's (DAR) bylaws may allow for the inclusion of transgender members has triggered some to quit the historic all-female organization, a spokesperson confirmed.

The bylaw change was adopted by an "overwhelming majority" of delegates at the society's 132nd Continental Congress last month, DAR spokesperson Bren Landon told Newsweek in a statement on Wednesday. While Landon says that the amendment "clarifies" existing policy on membership eligibility, critics say it opens the door for anyone with a legitimate birth certificate stating that the person is female to be able to join the organization.

The 132-year-old society, which promotes "historic preservation, education, and patriotism," states on its website that it requires members to be women over the age of 18 who have a "lineal descent from patriots of the American Revolution." Applicants must be able to prove their lineage to be eligible to join. Some DAR chapters also require members to vote on new applicants.

"The new language does not change the criteria for membership," Landon told Newsweek, adding that "DAR's longstanding membership policy remains unchanged since our founding in 1890."

Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday to two DAR members, who are reportedly upset by the bylaw amendment, and to the National Center for Transgender Equality.

DAR on its website says that it is one of the most "inclusive genealogical societies in the country," with roughly 190,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and internationally. There is also a Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).

During DAR's Continental Congress last month, delegates approved an amendment to the organization bylaws that eliminates a line that reads: "provided an applicant for chapter membership is personally acceptable to the chapter," according to a copy of the updated bylaws obtained by Newsweek.

The amendment added a line, stating that DAR and its chapters "may not discriminate against an eligible applicant based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law."

Landon said the amendment "provides additional non-discrimination language" that protects the society's tax-exempt status.

The amendment ignited discord among members, according to The Daily Signal, which reported several quit the organization in response. Landon confirmed to Newsweek that fewer than 30 members have quit over the bylaw vote.

"The [National Society] DAR has typical attrition of members each month for a variety of reasons," Landon said in the statement to Newsweek. "The number of resignations this July is lower than the number of resignations in the month of July for the past 5 years. Out of our approximately 190,000 members, we know of less than 30 members who have indicated their purpose for resigning as attributed to the membership voting to approve the nondiscrimination language in the bylaw amendment."

Video from the June event shows President General Pamela Rouse Wright being questioned by Jennifer Mease, a delegate from the Liberty Bell Chapter in Pennsylvania, who asked if chapters could vote against those "whose birth certificate has been altered by their state to indicate they are female even though they were born a male."

Wright responded: "If a person's birth certificate is female, they're eligible for membership." However, she then said she could not hear the question before going off camera for several moments. She then came back on screen and said: "If a person's birth certificate says they are a female, and you vote against them based on their protected class, it's discrimination."

Mease, upset by the genealogical society approving the bylaw update, resigned from DAR in a July 3 email obtained by The Daily Signal. Newsweek reached out to the Liberty Bell chapter to get in touch with Mease but did not hear back in time for publication.

"Recent changes in the bylaws of the organization; specifically, the adoption of the provision on Thursday, June 29, have compelled me to this decision," she said in her resignation email obtained by The Daily Signal. "The change will require our Chapter to consider transgender males as females, which contradicts my deeply held religious beliefs. As a person of faith, I firmly believe that God created men and women as distinct and separate genders, and I am unable to reconcile this fundamental principle with the new bylaw."

Mease, according to The Daily Signal, was not the only DAR member upset by the amendment's passage, which leaders of the organization argued was necessary to maintain the group's tax-exempt status.

Judy Lindsay, regent of the Cheyenne Chapter in Wyoming, said in an email obtained by the conservative outlet that the bylaw amendment means chapters no longer have authority over whom they deem acceptable.

Newsweek reached out via email to Lindsay on Wednesday for comment.

Lindsay said in an interview with The Daily Signal that the society has always had strict rules on who's allowed to join.

"Excuse me, we do discriminate," she told the outlet. "If you don't have a Patriot [in your family], you can't be a daughter of the American Revolution. And you have to be 18, so there's an age requirement."

Update 07/26/23, 9:30 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment and information from DAR spokesperson Bren Landon.

Correction 08/01/2023 5 p.m. ET: The story and headline were amended to make clear the bylaw allows only the possibility of transgender members, not that transgender members must be accepted.

Update 08/02/23, 12:29 p.m. ET: This story removes reference to member of DAR.