US EditionFederal appeals court sides with Texas students fighting campus drag show ban
The appeals court found a substantial likelihood that banning drag shows violates First Amendment rights, allowing Spectrum WT to hold events during ongoing litigation.
- On August 18, 2024, a federal appellate court in the Fifth Circuit overturned a lower court's decision, blocking the enforcement of West Texas A&M University's prohibition on drag performances in Canyon, Texas.
- The controversy started in March 2023 when Walter Wendler, the university president, called off a drag fundraiser organized by Spectrum WT that was intended to benefit The Trevor Project.
- Wendler argued drag shows demean women and compared them to blackface, while the appeals court found the ban likely violated students’ First Amendment rights by censoring expressive conduct.
- Judge Leslie Southwick emphasized that drag shows clearly express support for LGBT+ rights and highlighted that the ban posed a significant risk of causing irreversible damage to students' free speech protections.
- The ruling allows Spectrum WT and other student groups to hold drag shows on campus while the constitutional challenge continues in district court, illustrating ongoing legal contention over First Amendment protections.
22 Articles
22 Articles
US federal appeals court reverses ban on drag shows at Texas A&M University
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Monday reversed a lower court’s decision to uphold a ban on drag shows at West Texas A&M University. The appeals court stated that the plaintiffs had shown sufficient evidence that there would be harm to their First Amendment rights as a result of the ban, meeting the preliminary injunction standard of “substantial likelihood of success on the merits.” The appeals court’s opinion focused on whethe…
Court Blocks West Texas A&M Drag Show Ban
A federal appeals court has halted West Texas A&M University’s ban on student-led drag shows, ruling that the prohibition likely violated the First Amendment. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a preliminary injunction allowing a student group to proceed with a previously canceled event, signaling a major legal setback for the university. The court’s decision emphasized that drag shows, even if controversial, are protected expressive c…
5th Circuit overturns drag ban at West Texas University
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler from enforcing his ban on drag shows on the school’s campus in Canyon, Texas, ruling that the shows are most likely protected under the First Amendment, according to reports by The Texas Tribune. The Fifth Circuit’s ruling overturns a lower court decision allowing Wendler to keep the ban in place. The battle over drag on the campus started back in M…
Appeals court overturns ban on student drag show at West Texas A&M
A LGBTQ+ student group at West Texas A&M University may host a drag show on campus despite university President Walter Wendler’s ban on the performance, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the student organization Spectrum WT, ruling that Wendler’s 2023 decision to ban the drag show likely violated students’ free speech. Source
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