A federal judge on Thursday issued a temporary restraining order that stops the national leadership of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) from disbanding its Martha Laird chapter in Texas. The Texas chapter, founded 84 years ago, restricts membership to biological women, a policy the national board sought to overturn.
Legal challenge and court ruling
The legal action was brought by the Heritage Foundation’s Legal Action Center, which represents the Texas chapter. The court’s order preserves the chapter’s right to operate while the dispute proceeds through the courts. “The court’s order is an important victory for the Martha Laird Chapter and the women who stood up for the principle that a women’s organization should be for women,” said Lea Patterson, senior litigation counsel with Heritage.
Background of the dispute
The Martha Laird chapter fought to bar transgender women – biological men who identify as women – from joining its ranks. In early October, the DAR National Board of Management voted to disband the chapter, citing alleged violations of national bylaws. The board argued that the chapter was using the DAR name to promote a separate advocacy organization, not that it was acting on membership policy.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) confirmed the vote but denied that the decision was driven by the chapter’s stance on membership. “The decision was based on the Martha Laird Chapter’s use of the DAR name and its official chapter leadership, communications, and governance processes to promote the objectives of a separate advocacy organization,” the organization told Fox News Digital.
Heritage Foundation and supporters praise the ruling
Heritage’s legal team praised the judge’s intervention as a defense of women’s spaces. “National DAR leadership tried to silence these women by disbanding their 84‑year‑old chapter. We are grateful the court has stepped in to protect the chapter while this fight continues,” Patterson added.
Political strategist and former senior Senate advisor Mary Marslender echoed that sentiment, stating, “The Daughters of the American Revolution should be for women, not men. Changing a label doesn’t change biological reality. My daughters shouldn’t have to grow up in a world where their sex is treated as a choice and their spaces as negotiable.” She called the judge’s order a proper affirmation of common‑sense standards for women‑only organizations.
What the order means moving forward
The restraining order does not determine the ultimate legality of the national board’s decision; it merely preserves the status quo while the case proceeds. NSDAR said it is complying with the order and remains confident that its actions were within the authority granted by the national bylaws.
Legal experts note that the case highlights a broader cultural debate over the definition of women‑only spaces. For organizations rooted in historic women’s advocacy, the ability to limit membership to biological women is often framed as essential to preserving their mission and legacy.
Community response
Local supporters of the Martha Laird chapter have rallied around the court’s decision, viewing it as a defense of traditional family values and a reaffirmation of the Constitution’s protection of private association rights. Critics, primarily from progressive advocacy groups, argue that the policy is discriminatory. The judge’s order, however, underscores the judiciary’s role in ensuring that any organizational changes follow due process.
As the legal battle continues, the DAR chapter remains open to its members, and the court’s order ensures that its assets and operations are not disrupted pending a final ruling.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
