A U.S. District Judge strikes down Texas’s 2023 ban on drag shows, ruling the law violates the First Amendment. The decision blocks the state from enforcing Texas Senate Bill 12, which targeted “sexually oriented performances” and set potential penalties for both venues and performers.

In the ruling, Judge David Hittner describes the statute as unconstitutionally vague and overly broad, arguing its definitions could reach a wide range of performances. Multiple outlets report he uses examples drawn from mainstream entertainment—particularly Dolly Parton—along with comparisons to other artists and performances, to illustrate how similar “erotic” elements could be treated as punishable under the law. Several accounts also note Hittner’s comment directing people offended by the shows to “just don’t go.”

Outlets differ mainly in emphasis: some focus on the “just don’t go” line, others highlight that the judge invokes Parton and other popular performers, and one reports the ruling as a second strike down of the same ban. Across coverage, the core points remain that the judge finds the law fails constitutional free-speech standards due to vagueness and breadth.