"Today's decision is heartbreaking for drag performers, small businesses, and every Texan who believes in free expression. Drag is not a crime. It is art, joy, and resistance - a vital part of our culture and our communities. We are devastated by this setback, but we are not defeated. [...] We will not stop until this unconstitutional law is struck down for good."
"Texas S.B. 12 was signed into law in June 2023 by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and was set to go into effect on September 1 of the same year. While the bill ostensibly made it a crime to provide "sexually oriented performances" in a commercial space, on public property, or in the presence of minors, the language of the bill and the rhetoric around it made it clear that it was intended to target drag shows in particular."
A U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a 2023 district court ruling that had enjoined Texas S.B.12, lifting the permanent injunction against the state's wide-reaching drag-performance restrictions. Texas S.B.12, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in June 2023, criminalizes certain "sexually oriented performances" in commercial spaces, on public property, or in the presence of minors and was widely viewed as targeting drag shows. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and local pride and drag organizations challenged the law. U.S. District Judge David Hittner had initially issued a temporary injunction, later extended and made permanent in September 2023. Plaintiffs pledged to continue legal efforts.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]