A Quick Reference Guide
Compiled by Rebecca Rothnie
2014 | DAR begins allowing Y-DNA evidence to be submitted in new and supplemental applications.
DAR defines sex in the document titled DAR Policy Statement and Background / Using DNA Evidence for DAR Applications, “The 23rd pair of chromosomes (designated X and Y) determines the sex of the individual. If a person is X-X they are female; if they are X-Y they are male.”
DAR defines the three types of DNA used for genealogical research, as quoted in the document titled Guidelines / Using DNA Evidence for DAR Applications,
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed from a mother to all of her offspring.
- Y-DNA is passed from a father to each of his sons.
- Autosomal DNA is passed from both parents to each child. Each child receives a random
combination of material from each parent.
2017 | DAR member activists at the 126th Continental Congress pass out flyers advocating for transgender women to join DAR, according to a delegate in attendance.
2019 | A humanist chaplain informs a New York columnist that she inquired about transgender membership in DAR and learned there probably wouldn’t be a problem. The columnist replies, “Be sure the bylaws don’t explicitly … define daughters as assigned female at birth (I suspect the foremothers never foresaw that)”: The Humanist, https://thehumanist.com/magazine/january-february-2020/commentary/the-humanist-dilemma-dare-i-join-the-daughters-of-the-american-revolution
2020 | DAR begins accepting applicants’ autosomal DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) evidence for the first three generations: https://blog.dar.org/dar-begins-accepting-autosomal-dna
2022 | A New Jersey chapter accepts a transgender member: The Times (London), https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/historic-us-womens-group-daughters-american-revolution-trans-row-dd0gfr2p2
Jun 2023 | At the 132nd Continental Congress, President General Pamela Wright presides over a standing vote for bylaw changes. The full video, with the debate portion beginning at 2:19:10, is at: https://www.youtube.com/live/SsvXtKnLtOw?si=RazXwBzcrQ_ujQrE&t=8350. Video clip: https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1684243426458345472
Article III, Section I update: “NSDAR 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.”
Handbook update: “Acceptability for chapter membership is determined by the chapter
and the procedure shall be in the chapter bylaws. No chapter may discriminate against an eligible applicant based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law” (p. 59). Removed: “personally acceptable to the chapter” provision for prospective members.
Jul 2023 | The Biological Daughters group is formed after DAR shuts down discussion in its online forum for members.
Newsweek and The Daily Signal publish the first articles about DAR’s bylaw changes and resignations. Dozens of other articles, posts, podcasts and videos begin to be published in the news. A complete list from July 2023 through March 2025 is available as a separate document titled “DAR in the Headlines,” which continues to be updated along with this timeline every month.
Aug 2023 | The humanist chaplain’s alleged transgender daughter joins a New York chapter, according to a public post in a non-official DAR Facebook group. Later, the post is removed.
Oct 2023 | A Nevada chapter’s amendment proposal to define a woman in the national bylaws is submitted to the National Board of Management (NBM). Chapters in nine states join the efforts: Arkansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
President General Pamela Wright’s Message:
“A government-issued birth certificate continues to serve as acceptable proof of eligibility. 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. The bylaw amendment does not change that fact, and we will continue to welcome them into our Society in the future.”
DAR acknowledges it is a private member association and defines a transgender woman in Answers to Frequently Asked Member Questions Regarding Transgender Women in DAR:
“DAR is also a private member association. Its membership policies are generally considered outside the scope of anti-discrimination laws when membership is restricted to people who share a protected characteristic – in this case women.”
“A transgender woman is not a man; a transgender woman is also not a man simply dressed as a woman. A transgender lives and identifies as a woman.”
Note that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a “trans woman” as “a male at birth”: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trans%20woman
Organizing Secretary General Nancy Wright reports 1,381 total resignations from July 1 to October 4.
2024 | As a comparison, the current guidelines for the only other category of applicant who has an amended birth certificate (adoptees) are as follows, according to DAR’s Adoption Records Guide in Genealogy Guidelines Part II (p. 8-9). An adoptee applicant must provide both the original birth certificate (if available to the adoptee) and the amended birth certificate, adoption papers, affidavits from family members, and a paternity and maternity (DNA) test.
Jan 2024 | President General Pamela Wright e-mails former members, asking them to reinstate their membership. A member experience survey is included: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DARMembershipExperienceSurvey
Feb 2024 | The NBM rejects the amendment proposals: National Board of Management Meeting Minutes, May/June Newsletter, p. 186-187
Motion #1 – Definition of a Woman: 80 NO votes, 1 YES vote
Motion #2 – Remove Antidiscrimination: 81 NO votes, 0 YES votes
Motion #3 – Require Original Birth Certificate or DNA Test: 80 NO votes, 1 YES vote
“The National Board of Management, in a ballot vote … found the proposed amendments not to be suitable subject matter for inclusion in the bylaws and not to be in the best interests of the Society.”
Organizing Secretary General Nancy Wright reports 3,494 total resignations from October 5, 2023 to February 7, 2024. DAR stops publishing its membership and resignation numbers after this, until the January/February 2025 Newsletter Supplement.
Apr 2024 | DAR hires its first General Counsel, Lesley Benn, an attorney from the Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) firm to “manage all aspects of contracts and legal agreements, litigation, regulatory proceedings and conflict resolution. She will work with the executive officers and DAR leadership team on strategic decision-making and manage strong relationships with outside counsel.” DAR neglects to inform its membership about this new hire; instead, the law firm releases an obscure statement. Ms. Benn attended liberal universities in Montreal, Quebec and Washington, D.C.: https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/about-us/placements/mla-places-lesley-benn-as-general-counsel-at-the-national-society-daughters-of-the-american-revolution
Jun 2024 | During the National Board of Management meeting on June 24, the Recording Secretary General’s twelfth recommendation is as follows. This recommendation is not published until the January/February 2025 Newsletter Supplement (p. 592).
“‘…The National Society has for many decades accepted a government-issued birth certificate, including one that may have been amended, as acceptable proof of eligibility. The National Board affirms this policy and the Society’s inclusive, welcoming approach to membership.’ Copy on file in the General Counsel’s office. Approved.”
Organizing Secretary General Nancy Schirm Wright reports 171 resignations from February 8 through June 19 (January/February 2025 Newsletter Supplement, p. 590). In the National Board’s minutes from June 30, a total of 29 resignations are reported between June 20 and June 28.
At the 133rd Continental Congress, a transgender page carries the North Carolina flag on Opening Night and National Defense Night.
Aug 2024 | The Daughters Advocating for Restoration group is formed: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1GK3k6ZYJu/ and https://x.com/dar33club
Sep 2024 | A Texas chapter’s revised amendment proposal to define a woman in the national bylaws is submitted to the NBM with 11 other chapter endorsements. Chapters in eight states join the efforts: Alabama, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Amendments proposed:
Section 1 – “A woman is defined as a biological female at conception, having only naturally occurring X chromosomes, exclusive of Y chromosomes, and certified as female or girl on the original birth certificate.”
Section 2 – “The applicant shall submit all required documents … the results of a required chromosomal DNA test to determine naturally occurring X chromosomes, exclusive of Y chromosomes, or a notarized, sworn statement affirming the birth certificate submitted is an unaltered, unamended original document indicating female or girl.”
The National Board’s response is anticipated in early February 2025.
Oct 2024 | Organizing Secretary General Nancy Schirm Wright reports 1,394 resignations from June 29 through October 9 (January/February 2025 Newsletter Supplement, p. 594).
The overall number of resignations from July 1, 2023 to October 9, 2024 is 6,469.
Nov 2024 | The DAR Museum hosts a virtual talk titled “Female Husbands,” led by Jen Manion, an Amherst College (MA) professor. The subject is historical women identifying as men.
Jan 2025 | Attorneys Harmeet Dhillon and Mark Trammell of the Center for American Liberty submit a letter to the National Board of Management titled with a 14-page memorandum titled: Legality of Excluding Trans-Identifying Men from Membership in the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The memorandum concludes:
“If the DAR changes its bylaws to exclude trans-identifying men from membership eligibility, it is possible that a state or local government could bring an enforcement action against the DAR under a public accommodations law, but the DAR would have a strong First Amendment defense to such an action if it determined that admitting trans-identifying men interferes with its expressive message and articulated reasons why this is the case. Moreover, it is unlikely that the IRS or the District of Columbia would revoke the DAR’s non-profit status over such a bylaw change given the facts that there is likely no public policy opposing exclusion of transgender-identifying men from female-only private genealogical organizations and that any such attempted revocation would likely violate the DAR’s associational rights.”
The Center for American Liberty defines “trans-identifying men” as “natal males who assert a female gender identity.”
One member reports being officially disciplined by her State Regent for forwarding the proposal to amend the national bylaws. She is accused of violating the circularization policy. The position of Daughters Advocating for Restoration is as follows:
“The Circularization Policy is subordinate to the Bylaws. The Bylaws state that chapters must have endorsements from other chapters for proposals to amend National Bylaws. The Bylaws do not say that these proposals must first be sanctioned at the National and State Level before members can seek endorsements. To threaten members with disciplinary action by invoking the Circularization Policy when seeking chapter endorsements is wrong and an abuse of power.”
X suspends @dar33club, the account of Daughters Advocating for Restoration, alleging an unspecified violation of rules but not giving any explanation.
Feb 2025 | DAR’s Constitution Hall hosts Queer Eye: The Fab Five Live on February 24. DAR’s policy is that “no event shall be considered binding on DAR,” but DAR must follow Washington D.C. public hall license regulations.
The NBM rejects the Martha Laird Chapter’s (TX) amendment proposals endorsed by 11 other chapters.
Motion #1 – Definition of a Woman: 76 NO votes, 4 YES votes
Motion #2 – Remove Antidiscrimination: 78 NO votes, 2 YES votes
Motion #3 – Require DNA Test or Notarized/Sworn Statement of Birth Documentation: 78 NO votes, 2 YES votes
Mar 2025 | The DAR Restoration Rose Cockade becomes the symbol of the Daughters Advocating for Restoration’s cause. The cockades are created by Heather Sheen of Creative Cockades and may be purchased at: https://creativecockades.company.site/products/DAR-Restoration-Rose-Cockade-p731661811?fbclid=IwY2xjawJL1pxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfDpeTYIutBy2uSnv0KIAUR9fQgQqZyvjJ_YEjJy6us8N2aXHZr9tXrSug_aem_dQ2Ic1H3PX-J9PZEX0Ob0g
An XX Chromosome Cockade may also be purchased at: https://creativecockades.company.site/products/XX-Chromosome-Cockade-p731752201?fbclid=IwY2xjawJL13JleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTfy90bohZSQQdgxpEhvR8GurvKaoviYbZ83zhcMMNSJAdJRzjPpTAjqjA_aem_Lnt5_EFledys2_BvERN0cQ
The Regent and Recording Secretary of the Martha Laird Chapter (TX) write a letter to President Trump, signed by more than 150 current and resigned DAR members nationwide: “President Trump, we need your help to shine a light on what has happened within the ranks of the DAR! Thank you for your leadership and moral clarity that exposes this perverse ideology that harms individuals.”
The number of members joining the Daughters Advocating for Restoration Facebook group surpasses 800.
Daughters Advocating for Restoration joins TruthSocial at @daughtersrestoration.
A blog called True Daughters of the American Revolution begins posting at https://truedaughtersoftherevolution.wordpress.com.
The Martha Laird Chapter (TX) begins gathering endorsements for a new amendment proposal to be submitted to the NBM by Oct. 1, 2025. The NBM’s response is anticipated in February 2026. As of March 20, endorsements from eight chapters had already been completed.
Proposal to Amend Article III, Section 2, Admissions:
Section 2. Admission. Admission to membership in the National Society shall be either
through a chapter or as a Member-at-Large.
a) The applicant shall submit all required documents in good faith, prepared in accordance with instructions established and distributed by the National Society, and accompanied by the prescribed fees and dues within one year, unless granted extension by the chapter. The applicant attests that her submitted birth certificate is a true record of her biological, female sex and biological parentage. Signatures of endorsement on application are optional.
Apr 2025 | Daughters Advocating for Restoration begins publishing a new blog at: https://daughtersadvocatingrestoration.org. The purpose is “to inform and empower members with facts about what has happened to the DAR (specifically permitting men as members) … While the Facebook page serves a purpose, it is not ideal for organizing information.”