On-campus drag shows banned by Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System passed a resolution banning drag shows from taking place on its schools’ campuses, saying drag shows demean women and citing a Trump executive order that states there are only two genders.

“It is the policy of the Board of Regents that Drag Show Events shall not be held at Special Event Venues on any of the campuses of the Universities, from and after the date of this resolution,” the Board’s Feb. 28 resolution document stated.

The Texas A&M University System possesses 11 universities and educates over 165,000 students, according to its website.

When reached for comment, the system’s media relations referred The Center Square to the resolution.

The board’s decision is in response to one of Trump’s executive orders as well as a letter from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“The Board acknowledges President Trump’s Executive Order issued January 20, 2025, entitled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” the resolution stated.

“The Board further acknowledges that the Executive Order recognizes two sexes, male and female, and specifies that the federal government shall not promote gender ideology,” the resolution said.

“The Executive Order further provides that federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology,” the resolution stated.

Furthermore, “the Board acknowledges Governor Abbott’s letter dated January 30, 2025, expressing support for the Executive Order and directing state agencies to ‘comply with the law and the biological reality that there are only two sexes – male and female.’”

The resolution also states that drag show events are “inconsistent with the System’s mission and core values of its Universities including the value of respect for others.”

Allowing “Special Event Venues of the Universities to be used for drag shows that involve biological males dressing in women’s clothing, wearing exaggerated female make up and/or exaggerated prosthetics meant to parody the female body type, and that are: open to the public; involve sexualized, vulgar or lewd conduct; and involve conduct that demeans women,” does not align with the Texas A&M University System’s beliefs.

Additionally, “the Board finds that Drag Show Events are likely to create or contribute to a hostile environment for women contrary to System anti-discrimination policy and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX),” the resolution stated.

“These events often involve unwelcome and objectively offensive conduct based on sex for many members of the respective communities of the Universities, particularly when they involve the mockery or objectification of women,” the resolution explained.

The Board of Regents directed the Chancellors and Presidents of each system university to cancel upcoming drag shows and to “take the actions necessary to implement” the new policy.

Additionally, the universities are each told to “review” and “revise” their “procedures for the use of [their] Special Event Venues” in order to ensure compliance with the new policy, the referenced executive order and governor’s directive, and other state and federal laws.