In June, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation expanding on an existing law designed to prevent children from gaining exposure to sexually explicit material. The expanded legislation effectively banned drag performances in public or in any venue that minors could access—calling them “sexually orientated” performances. 

In September, the new law was declared “unconstitutional” by a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. However, this declaration does not end the fight between those who feel drag performances are too sexually explicit for public audiences and those who believe drag is a form of artistic expression protected by the First Amendment. In many ways, the fight has just begun—especially for the LGBTQ+ community.

Policing Expression