Daughters of the American Revolution Must Accept Transgender Members
inclusion of transgender members, triggering some to quit the historic all-female organization, according to a report.The bylaw change, updated at the society's June meeting, according to The Daily Signal, opens the door for anyone with a certified birth certificate that says they are female to be able to join the organization that promotes "historic preservation, education, and patriotism."The 132-year-old society 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.Newsweek reached out via email on Wednesday to representatives for DAR, two DAR members who are reportedly upset by the bylaw amendment and the National Center for Transgender Equality.DAR on its website boasts 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, group organizers approved an amendment to the bylaws that eliminates a line that reads: "provided an applicant for chapter membership is personally acceptable to the chapter," The Daily Signal reports.
The amendment also added a line, stating that DAR cannot discriminate based on gender, religion or sexual orientation.The amendment ignited discord among members, according to the outlet, which reported several quit the organization in response.DAR spokesperson Bren Landon told The Daily Signal on Tuesday that the society's policies have remained unchanged.
