The Daughters Of The American Revolution Could Declare Independence From Woke

The Daughters of the American Revolution has a generational opportunity to say what a woman is.

The group — open to any woman 18 or older who can prove her bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence — came under fire last year when it ruled transgender-identifying men could join the group. In response, members of the group’s Texas chapter have repeatedly introduced resolutions to restrict membership to biological women.

The DAR rejected those proposals in the past. But at the group’s national meeting on June 26, members will vote to amend the group’s bylaws to clarify that only natural-born women could join the group.

Laura McDonald, a member of the DAR’s Texas chapter involved in the effort, is optimistic about the “historic” vote.

“Daughters all across the country have relentlessly pursued all avenues and have succeeded in their demand for this historic vote in hopes of restoring this once stalwart and prestigious institution to its founding principles,” McDonald told The Daily Wire. “The DAR should be a beacon during this confusing time in our country.”

The proposed resolution states that “the term ‘woman’ shall be understood to clearly mean a woman who was born female, and therefore, individuals who were born male shall not be eligible for membership; transgender women shall not be eligible for membership,” according to a document reviewed by The Daily Wire.

Beth Parlato, senior legal counsel at Independent Women’s Law Center, told The Daily Wire that at the heart of the debate is whether women will continue to be a “distinct legal category.”

“The debate is not merely about membership in a single organization. It is about whether women remain a distinct legal category entitled to sex-based rights, protections, and spaces,” Parlato stated. “Women’s organizations were established to serve women, not anyone who claims a female identity.”

The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles exposed internal DAR documents showing strong support for transgenderism in a viral September 2024 X thread.

McDonald points out that the DAR is uniquely suited to protect women’s spaces, since birth certificate scrutiny is already an essential part of the application process

“Even if they present a legitimate state-certified legal birth certificate that says they’re a woman, if it is suspected that it’s not an original document that proves, not only their lineage but their sex, we have the right to question that document,” McDonald said. “We love Daughters of the American Revolution so much that we’re willing to go to great lengths to restore it and preserve it.”

Founded in 1890, decades before women won the right to vote in American elections, the DAR was established by patriotic women who were frustrated that they were excluded from joining the male-only Sons of the American Revolution, established in 1889. The DAR was created to give women the same opportunity as men to “promote Historic Preservation, Education, and Patriotism” in the United States. Throughout its more than 130-year history, DAR has welcomed over a million members, supported American efforts in three major wars, and continues to serve active-duty military members and veterans, as described on its website.

“When female-only groups abandon biological reality and redefine woman to include men, they contribute to the erosion of women’s rights everywhere, from athletics and scholarships to shelters, prisons, and private associations,” Parlato told The Daily Wire. “Preserving female-only spaces is essential to protecting women’s equality under the law.”

The Daughters of the American Revolution did not respond to The Daily Wire’s requests for comment.