Judge blocks Texas A&M's ban on drag shows on campuses

A federal judge in Texas on Monday sided with an LGBTQ student group that sued Texas A&M over its ban on drag shows being performed on all 11 campuses, ruling the club would likely win its case that the ban violates the First Amendment. 

The university's Board of Regents last month voted to adopt a resolution stating drag shows are inconsistent with the system’s “mission and core values, including the value of respect for others," and could violate Title IX. 

The Queer Empowerment Council, a student organization at Texas A&M University, argued that the resolution violates their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.

U.S. District Court Judge Lee Rosenthal, a former President George H. W. Bush appointee, ruled that the student group would likely be successful in their argument, according to The Hill. 

“In recent years, the commitment to free speech on campuses has been both challenging and challenged,” Rosenthal wrote. “There have been efforts from all sides of the political spectrum to disrupt or prevent students, faculty, and others from expressing opinions and speech that are deemed, or actually are, offensive or wrong. But the law requires the recognition and application of speech rights and guardrails that preserve and protect all our treasured First Amendment rights.” 

Rosenthal said that the university's annual "Draggieland" competition will now take place on Thursday, March 27, per NBC News.

The Queer Empowerment Council said that it is “overjoyed” with the decision.

“This is another display of the resilience of queer joy, as that is an unstoppable force despite those that wish to see it destroyed,” the group said in a statement. “While this fight isn’t over, we are going to appreciate the joy we get to bring by putting on the best show that we can do.”

Texas A&M's University system said that it is reviewing the judge's order. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.