Aug. 31 (UPI) — A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction preventing a Texas law restricting drag show performances from taking effect.
The temporary injunction was ordered by U.S. District Judge David Hittner in a lawsuit against the state filed by human rights groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union, court documents obtained by UPI show.
The plaintiffs also include LGBTQ groups such as Woodlands Pride and the Abilene Pride Alliance.
The law, which was expected to go into effect Friday, does not specifically mention drag shows, the text shows. Instead, the broad language bans “sexually oriented performances” in the presence of a minor.
Drag performances are typically not sexualized, especially when performed for children, but Republican politicians have made clear that the ban would apply to drag shows.
“A person who violates this section is liable to this state for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each violation,” the law reads.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick heralded the law as “bipartisan” in a statement in April and admitted that its intent was to ban drag performances.
“It is shocking to me that any parent would allow their young child to be sexualized by drag shows. Children, who cannot make decisions on their own, must be protected from these sexually oriented drag shows now occurring more and more in front of them,” Patrick said at the time.
“I selected SB 12 to be a top priority of mine because someone must fight back against the radical Left’s degradation of our society and values. I will not allow Texas children to be sexualized and scarred for life by harmful drag performances.”
Human rights advocates have said the text of the bill, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June, is intentionally too broad and unconstitutional and could impact everything from cheerleading routines to touring Broadway productions.
“A federal judge just granted our request to temporarily block Texas’ drag ban from taking effect Sept. 1,” the ACLU of Texas said in a statement.
“Drag performers and LGBTQIA+ allied businesses belong in our state — and Texas politicians have no right to censor our free expression.”
