Appeals Court Allows Texas to Enforce Drag Show Restrictions
An appeals court has ruled that Texas may enforce Senate Bill 12, a law limiting performances deemed sexually explicit, including those involving sexual prosthetics. The decision overturns a lower court’s injunction that previously blocked enforcement.
Purpose and Scope of the Law
The law allows local authorities to regulate “sexually oriented” performances that could affect public health, safety, or welfare. It also prohibits children from attending or being near such shows.
Attorney General’s Statement
“I will always work to shield our children from exposure to erotic and inappropriate sexually oriented performances,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “It is an honor to have defended this law, ensuring that our state remains safe for families and children.”
Opposition from Advocacy Groups
Several drag performers and LGBTQIA+ organizations filed lawsuits opposing the measure, arguing that it violates First Amendment rights. They described the law as “sweepingly overbroad and vague” and claimed it unfairly targets drag performances as a disfavored form of expression.
Summary
The appellate decision revives Texas’s ability to enforce restrictions on sexually oriented performances, reigniting the debate between child protection advocates and free speech defenders.
Author’s Summary: The ruling reinstates Texas’s contested S.B. 12 law, igniting renewed controversy over protecting minors versus preserving artistic and expressive freedoms.