In a move that pits traditional educational values against the expression of queer culture, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has stepped up to defend the ban on drag shows at Texas A&M University, representing the Board of Regents in a lawsuit initiated by the Texas A&M Queer Empowerment Council. In a recent announcement, Paxton stated that public funds should not be used for shows that are deemed offensive and not in line with the core mission of the university.

Following the Board's decision to prohibit drag shows on the universities' campuses, the Queer Empowerment Council filed a lawsuit in an attempt to overturn the ban, the lawsuit described as frivolous by Paxton. The Attorney General's assertion hinges on an executive order from former President Trump, which prevents federal dollars from supporting gender ideology, and a directive from Governor Greg Abbott that instructs state agencies to adhere to this federal guidance, according to a statement from the Texas Attorney General's Office.

"Our colleges and universities exist to help students learn and equip them as they take their next steps in life," Paxton is quoted as saying. "They are not, and never have been, a place for taxpayer-funded drag shows where men pretending to be women engage in obscene, offensive, and degrading behavior." In Paxton's view, the institution of higher learning is a place of traditional academic pursuit, not a stage for what the Board sees as "sexualized, vulgar or lewd conduct" that could clash with the universities' stated missions and core values, according to the Texas Attorney General's Office.

Those opposing the ban argue that it infringes upon the rights of expression and diversity on campus. While Paxton and his supporters hold that such events fall outside the educational purview and should not be financed with taxpayer money.