February 21, 2025
Madam State Regent,
I am a Daughter of the American Revolution residing in the state of Texas. I currently hold the office of Recording Secretary for the Martha Laird Chapter. I write the following as an open letter to all members of the DAR.
As you know, my chapter recently proposed an amendment to National Bylaws Article III, Sections 1 & 2. The objective of the proposal is to prevent men that would dishonestly apply for membership in the DAR from being eligible members. Of course, you also know that this proposal, despite receiving more than the requisite number of chapter endorsements, was rejected by the National Board of Management on February 8, 2025.
As a Texas Daughter, I know you are under no obligation to respond to my questions, but I humbly ask that you consider the following. These points are in response to the email that you sent to North Carolina Daughters on February 17, 2025.
Your email states the following:
“Some have falsely claimed that NSDAR now admits men. This is simply not true.”
“NSDAR has never admitted men and remains an organization exclusively for women who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution.”
“A small but vocal group has misrepresented these amendments, falsely suggesting that NSDAR now admits men.”
“As Daughters, we uphold truth, integrity and respect.”
Ms. Crigler, I sincerely ask you to address each of these statements in consideration of the following:
Quoting from the President General’s Message from October 2023: “Some have asked if this means a transgender woman can join DAR or if this means that DAR chapters have previously welcomed transgender women? The answer to both questions is, yes.”
Quoting from the President General’s Answers to Frequently Asked Member Questions Regarding Transgender Women in DAR: “Q: Does DAR allow transgender members? A: Yes. Transgender women have been, and continue to be, eligible for DAR membership.”
There are men who have boastfully talked about their membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution through interviews with the press or posts to their social media accounts. Surely you are aware of this.
Why is there an effort to demean the good faith efforts of members to restore and preserve the Society as founded? It is wrong to assert that we are spreading misinformation.
My chapter and the hundreds, if not thousands of members who support our efforts to restore our society as founded, have never claimed that the bylaw amendment from the 132nd Continental Congress is the reason these men are eligible for membership, although a good case can be made for that.
No, our claim that men are currently on the member rolls is solely based on the documents referenced above, as well as the evidential proof found from online publications.
I suppose the crux of the matter is whether or not one believes these men are indeed women, simply because their altered birth certificate says so. I humbly ask if you believe “A transgender woman is not a man; a transgender woman is also not a man simply dressed as a woman.”
Lastly, should you respond, I appeal to the words in your closing – As Daughters, we uphold truth, integrity, and respect.
Very Respectfully,
Laura McDonald, Recording Secretary
Martha Laird Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
This letter was transmitted to the North Carolina State Regent via email on February 21, 2025. The President General was copied on the email.
The North Carolina State Regent sent a “read” receipt but did not respond.