DAR Keeps Transgender Members After Close Vote

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The Daughters of the American Revolution voted to keep its policy of allowing transgender members. The decision came at the group’s 135th Continental Congress in Washington, D.C. Members rejected the proposal by a vote of 1,481 to 984.

The resolution would have defined the word “woman” in the bylaws as someone born female. It was led by a grassroots group called Daughters Advocating for Restoration. Their goal was to return the historic women’s organization to a female only space.

Laura McDonald helped lead the effort, and she met the loss with quiet faith. She noted that the group’s motto is “God, Home and Country.” Even in defeat, she said, “the will of the assembly was heard today.”

A Three Year Battle Over the Bylaws

For three years, members tried to change the bylaws to clearly define a woman. Each time, a national board blocked the proposal before it could reach a full vote. McDonald said leadership had simply rejected a grassroots attempt to amend the rules.

This time, supporters found a new path. Instead of changing the bylaws, they called a special meeting and offered a simple resolution. They gathered backing from 95 chapters across 30 states to force the historic vote.

The resolution was short and direct. It said the word “woman” should mean a person born female, so men and transgender women could not join. It also said men who changed their birth certificates from male to female would not be eligible.

The Daily Signal first reported the plan in early June. Supporters argued that the founders in 1890 never pictured men joining a women’s group. As one chapter leader put it, “we believe the term ‘woman’ refers to biological women only.”

How the DAR Got Here

The conflict began in 2023, when the DAR added new nondiscrimination language to its bylaws. Leaders later said this meant men who identify as women could join if they changed their birth certificates. Since then, an estimated 3,500 members have resigned in protest.

Only a small number of transgender applicants have actually joined. Reports put the figure at around five such members across the country. Yet the change sparked a wide revolt, because many women felt the meaning of their group was being erased.

The push also follows a wider national debate over sex and gender. President Trump signed an executive order saying the government recognizes only two biological sexes. Supporters of the resolution said a private group has every right to set its own membership rules.

The Money Question

Much of the fight came down to one fear: losing the group’s status as a nonprofit. DAR leaders warned that barring transgender members could threaten its tax exemption and even its property tax break. They told members the policy was needed to protect the society.

Supporters of the resolution did not buy that claim. A legal group argued that the First Amendment protects the DAR’s right to remain a women’s organization. The board still turned down the earlier proposals, saying a ban was not in the best interest of the society.

McDonald has long said the real reason was politics, not taxes. She believes leaders used the nonprofit warning to scare members away from voting their conscience. To her side, the tax argument was a shield for a choice already made.

The Faith That Drove the Effort

Many of the women framed their cause in Christian terms. At a rally before the vote, McDonald told supporters, “Nothing we do here matters if not done in service to the Lord.” She said the goal was restoration and trust in God.

That faith ran through earlier resignations too. One member who left wrote that the group had chosen a path against her Christian beliefs. For many of these women, the fight was about more than a rule. It was about truth and conviction.

A report before the vote described what was at stake for the group’s future. Writers on the right said the society could either hold its ground or drift from its roots, where only women born female could join. The result showed just how deep the divide had grown.

What Comes Next

Supporters of the current policy welcomed the outcome. A group called Daughters for Inclusivity said the society should keep welcoming all women. Its members include the DAR’s current president general, who thanked delegates after the long vote.

For McDonald and her allies, the loss is not the end of the road. Some members spoke of resigning, while others urged them to stay and keep fighting. One supporter reminded the group that their ancestors were warriors who did not give up.

McDonald, too, struck a hopeful note rooted in faith. She said the daughters do not know what the future holds, but they trust that God has a plan. She vowed to keep working to restore the society her founders built.

The Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890. It began after the Sons of the American Revolution refused to admit women. Today, the patriotic society has about 190,000 members and 3,000 chapters across the country.

As believers, we are called to pray for our leaders and our nation. Pray for wisdom for those making these decisions, and for safety and dignity for all people affected by them.

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