Challengers to Drag Show’s Prohibition Lose Bid for Damages

West Texas A&M University’s president doesn’t have to face a damages claim that he violated the civil rights of a student group he prevented from holding a drag show on campus, a federal court said.

Likening drag shows to “blackface” performances, because they “stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others,” President Walter Wendler told student organization Spectrum WT in an email that it couldn’t hold the proposed drag show on campus to raise funds for LGBT+ suicide prevention.

Wendler is immune from the claims because Spectrum didn’t allege facts showing that he violated a clearly established speech ...