COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Texas A&M University System from banning drag shows on its campuses, making way for the annual “Draggieland” event to occur on Thursday.

What You Need To Know

  • Judge temporarily halts Texas A&M University System's ban on drag shows

  • The ruling allows the “Draggieland” event to proceed as scheduled

  • The ruling comes after the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents earlier this month banned drag shows from all 11 of its campuses, claiming they do not align with the university’s “mission and core values.”

  • A student organization, the Queer Empowerment Council, quickly sued claiming the ban was targeting the group’s annual event, Draggieland, scheduled for March 27

The ruling comes after the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents earlier this month banned drag shows from all 11 of its campuses, claiming they do not align with the university’s “mission and core values.”

The board cited President Donald Trump’s executive order that bans federal agencies from promoting “gender ideology” as a reason for banning drag shows on its campuses because of the federal funding the university system receives. The board also cited a letter from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that supported the executive order. 

A student organization, the Queer Empowerment Council, quickly sued claiming the ban was targeting the group’s annual event, Draggieland, scheduled for March 27.

Draggieland, which has taken place since 2020, has repeatedly sold out the 750-seat Rudder Theatre in College Station for the adults-only show. Texas A&M cut funding for the event in 2022.

The lawsuit claims the ban violates the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the students. The group asked the judge to issue an injunction halting the drag show ban so the Draggieland event could take place as scheduled. 

Judge Lee H. Rosenthal granted the group’s request for a preliminary injunction in a 29-page decision. 

“Anyone who finds the performance or performers offensive has a simple remedy: don’t go,” Rosenthal said in her opinion.

This isn’t the first time a drag show on a Texas A&M campus has been litigated. 

In 2023, the West Texas A&M University president canceled a student drag show claiming it degrades women. Some students sued saying the cancellation violated their First Amendment rights.

The judge in that case ruled that the cancellation did not violate the constitutional right to free speech because children were expected to be present. Draggieland is marketed for people ages 18 and up.

Here is Rosenthal's full opinion: