Well, buckle up, because here comes another round of Culture Wars on Campus: Drag Edition. This time, it’s Texas A&M University caught in the middle of the nation’s never-ending battle between free speech and cultural norms. And yes—this one has a name: Draggieland.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal threw a legal wrench into the Texas A&M Board of Regents’ decision to ban drag performances at university venues. Her ruling? The ban likely violates the First Amendment. In plain speak: whether you love drag, hate drag, or just don’t get it, the Constitution still applies—even when there’s glitter and lip-syncing involved.
Let’s walk it back a bit. Earlier this month, the Queer Empowerment Council—an LGBT activist group—filed suit after the board enacted a ban that effectively shut down campus drag performances.
That move was based, in part, on an executive order from President Trump about defunding entities that promote “gender ideology,” and a directive from Governor Greg Abbott to stay in line.
The board’s reasoning? Hosting drag shows might count as promoting said ideology, and that could put federal funding at risk. But Judge Rosenthal wasn’t buying it. In her ruling, she made it crystal clear: being offended is not a valid reason to ban expression on campus. You don’t get to pull the plug on speech just because it makes some people uncomfortable.
And let’s not forget the heart of the case: Draggieland. Yep, that’s what it’s called. It’s a student-hosted drag event, and now, thanks to this ruling, it’s back on and scheduled for March 27.
Of course, not everyone is clapping along. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton fired back, calling the judge’s ruling a step too far. “They are not, and have never been, a place for taxpayer-funded drag shows where men pretending to be women engage in obscene, offensive, and degrading behavior,” he said.
And there it is. That’s the core of the national argument right now. On one side, you’ve got folks defending free expression—even when that expression ruffles feathers. On the other, people who see drag, especially on campus and on the taxpayer dime, as pushing the envelope way too far.
But here’s the twist: the university didn’t exactly throw the first glitter bomb. They were reacting—proactively—to federal and state pressure, trying to toe the line on funding. But now they’re being told, “Not so fast.”
