Paxton tries to revive Texas A&M drag show ban
Apr 1, 2025
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal Tuesday to reinstate Texas A&M’s drag show ban, aiming to reverse a federal judge’s temporary block.
Catch up quick: A federal judge ruled on March 24 that Texas A&M’s ban on drag performances violated the First Amendment.
- The court sided with the student group behind Draggieland, an annual on-campus drag show, calling the university’s resolution a viewpoint-based restriction on protected speech.
- The ruling allowed this year’s event to go on as planned last Thursday.
State of play: Paxton’s appeal seeks to revive the ban, arguing that drag shows promote what he describes as offensive and unlawful behavior.
- “These filings aim to ensure that our educational institutions are focused solely on promoting academics, not a woke agenda,” Paxton said in a statement.
The big picture: The case is part of a broader push by the GOP in the US and Texas to restrict transgender rights.
- The Trump administration’s January executive order bars federal funding from institutions that promote “gender ideology.” Paxton is using that to justify bans like A&M’s.
- Plus, the Texas Legislature has filed more than 100 anti-trans bills this session, many targeting drag, education, and gender-affirming care.
Zoom out: The A&M case is one of three drag-related lawsuits Paxton is defending in federal court.
- Spectrum WT v. Wendler involves restrictions on drag performances at West Texas A&M University. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, sending it back to a federal appellate court, which has a hearing scheduled for April 29.
- Woodlands Pride v. Paxton challenges the state’s broader drag show ban.
What’s next: The appeal now moves to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.