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drag queens

At UT, a Day of Drag and Defiance

Students gathered for a joyful protest of the university system’s drag show ban.

by Joelle DiPaolo

Keep Reading

‘The Queen vs. Texas’ Revisits the Battle over Lone Star Drag  

by Kit O'Connell

Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws in Texas May Violate Human Rights Treaties

by Kit O'Connell

‘Drag is so Healing’: Austin’s Queens Won’t Back Down

by Kit O'Connell

Drag queen Brigitte Bandit performs on an ouitdoor stage in a sleeveless Texas flag halter top over large prosthetic breasts, a bright yellow blonde wig, and red and black tiger-stripe side-tie cowboy pants. Aug 22, 2023

‘We’re Going to Need to Save Each Other’: ‘Drag Ban’ Will Be Fought in the Streets & the Courts

SB 12 has already sent a chill of fear and uncertainty through the LGBTQ+ community.

by Kit O'Connell

A Black drag performer in a flamboyant red wig, tight leather leather pants, and corsetted top stands in front of a SXSW 2023 banner. Apr 03, 2023

Dragging Democracy into the Future

As the Texas Observer survives to muckrake another day, Steven Monacelli highlights the battle for fundamental rights happening in the Lone Star State.

by Steven Monacelli

Gena as she appears in Queendom: a queer artist in a complex costume, with a white wig that looks like it's made of drippy wax and a complex costume made of similar material with an organic feel, like roots surrounging her body. She has half sleeves and part of a costume covering her stomach. She is riding an escalator somewhere in Russia. Mar 30, 2023

Confronting Queer Oppression in Moscow … And America

Queendom, a documentary that recently premiered at the SXSW film festival, should leave viewers—especially LGBTQ+ viewers—shaken.

by Lance Morrison

Inside this month's print issue

Editor’s Letter: Introducing Our May/June 2025 Issue

A note from the editor-in-chief

Keep Reading

The Magazine

At a protest outside a Christmas-themed drag show in Grand Prairie Texas, an activist holds a trans pride flag, wearing a denim jacket decorated with several patches including an Always Antifascist back patch which includes the red and black antifascist flags. Dec 21, 2022

The War on Christmas Drag Shows

GOP endorsed anti-LGBTQ+ “groomer” rhetoric inspired armed fascist groups to harass queer events, spurring a diverse, celebratory community response.

by Steven Monacelli

A drag queen in a redhaired wig and a rainbow dress, with lots of bright silver jewelry, reads from a children's story book in front of a rainbow backdrop covering a shop window. Jul 27, 2022

West Texas Town Comes Out for Drag Queens

Despite the presence of anti-LGBTQ+ protesters, over 150 people attended the first story time event in Wolfforth, a small suburb of Lubbock.

by Andrew Logan

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