Throughout history, queer culture has faced opposition and suppression at nearly every turn. It’s not new, and with the new presidential administration, we’re seeing it more and more. Still, I was frustrated and disappointed to discover that the University of North Texas banned drag performances on campus on March 28, 2025. As a queer UNT student myself, I find myself wondering about what this means for myself and others, and where we go from here.
So what actually happened? According to the North Texas Daily, on March 28, Chancellor Michael Williams sent a directive to each campus president ordering an immediate pause on drag performances.Which was effective immediately. This decision follows a wave of other Texas universities with similar bans. Most cite Donald Trump’s executive order “defending women from gender ideology extremism,” although this order never references drag specifically.
According to the Dallas Observer, UNT has a history of overcompliance. “The situation at UNT is one of the most extreme cases of over-compliance with a censorship law we have ever seen,” said Jeremy C. Young, PEN America’s Freedom to Learn program director. As a UNT student, this worries me. Still, despite the university’s unnecessary overcompliance with the executive order, LGBTQ+ students on campus are coming together. GLAD rescheduled their April drag show to a local venue, which I’m very excited to attend.
So why is this a big deal? For one thing, the ban sends the message that UNT will not advocate for its students. Instead, they overcompensate, limiting freedom of speech and expression far more than is required by law. Choosing to infringe on the rights of students, especially queer students, tells them that they aren’t wanted here. Despite UNT’s promises of inclusion, its actions tell a different story.
Queer culture is an extremely valuable thing, one that shouldn’t be infringed upon. Drag performances are, frankly, super fun. They let people come together and experience community, support performers, and bond. Queer culture, especially in states like Texas where homophobia is rampant, allows LGBTQ+ students to come together and feel like they belong. It creates spaces for celebration and self-love. If you’ve never been to a drag show, you should go. It’s an incredible experience.
Despite how frustrating UNT’s ban on drag is, I know that it is not the end. LGBTQ+ students are resilient, and queer people have been fighting political repression for decades. Our joy and community will persist and resist, and we’ll have fun and support our drag queens along the way.
