"Federal Hearing Recognizes Drag as Performance Art, LGBTQ+ Groups Assert"

Plaintiffs suing the state of Texas over a new law restricting sexually-explicit shows argued in a federal court that drag shows are a protected form of political and expressive performance art celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community. The plaintiffs, including business owners, LGBTQ+ groups, and drag performers, testified about the content and significance of drag performances, while lawyers for the state argued that drag shows are not necessarily protected by the First Amendment. The plaintiffs requested a temporary injunction to block the law, which is scheduled to go into effect on Friday. The law prohibits suggestive dancing and certain prosthetics in front of children, but critics argue that it targets drag shows. Similar laws in other states have faced legal challenges and have been blocked from going into effect.