Texas drag ban shut down as judge cites Dolly Parton in ruling: 'Just don't go'https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/08/26/texas-drag-ban-dolly-parton/ 🔗Jack Wetherill (26 Aug 2026)
A federal judge has struck down Texas Senate Bill 12, a 2023 law targeting drag performances, telling people who are offended by drag shows: "The solution is relatively simple ... just don't go."
US District Judge David Hittner ruled on Tuesday that S.B. 12 improperly restricted speech in violation of the First Amendment. The decision blocks Texas attorney general Ken Paxton from enforcing the law and puts a stop to his motion for a new trial, as reported by NBC News.
Under the bill, business owners found in violation for hosting events could have been fined up to $10,000. Performers could also have faced a Class A misdemeanour, carrying up to one year in jail time.
Hittner said the statute was overly broad, warning it could sweep in "cheerleading, dancing, live theatre, and other common public occurrences". He also found the law vague, writing that it failed "to give a reasonable person notice of what is prohibited".
In his ruling, Hittner referenced Dolly Parton, who died on 25 August, and criticised the law's definition of performances that "appeal to the prurient interest", warning that mainstream entertainment could be penalised. "There are 'erotic' elements in countless popular performances that could be subject to both civil and criminal penalties under S.B. 12," he wrote, adding that people could also be upset by the late performer "as a voluptuous sex symbol because of her big hair, flamboyant clothes and breast exposure".
