AI Generated Image
'Voluptuous sex symbol.' Judge cites Dolly Parton, overturns Texas 'drag ban'
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- U.S. District Judge David Hittner struck down Texas Senate Bill 12, a 2023 law restricting drag shows, ruling it an unconstitutional restriction on free speech and blocking its enforcement by the state attorney general.
- The judge referenced Dolly Parton in his decision, highlighting how her flamboyant style and performances, similar to those targeted by the law, could have been penalized under the bill’s vague criteria.
- The ruling coincided with the death of Dolly Parton, who was cited multiple times in the case and has been a significant influence on drag performers like plaintiff Brigitte Bandit.
- This is not the first time the law has faced legal challenges; it was initially struck down in 2023, reinstated by an appeals court, and ultimately ruled unconstitutional again by Judge Hittner.
- Hittner concluded that those offended by drag performances can simply choose not to attend, emphasizing the importance of protecting free expression under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
