Texas Judge Rejects Christians' Restraining Order Request Against 'Drag Queen Story Hour'
Correction Appended
A Houston federal judge dismissed on Wednesday a temporary restraining order request led by conservative Christians against a local public library's "Drag Queen Story Hour" events.
A number of Christians joined the lawsuit against Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Rhea Lawson, head of the city's library system, arguing that the events featuring drag queens reading to children are a promotion of secular religion, and violate the freedom of religion clause in the Constitution.
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Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal issued a short order, explaining the decision to deny a temporary restraining order while the case moves forward in only two sentences: "There is no basis to support the requested relief. The application is denied."
Houston businessman Tex Christopher, one of the plaintiffs, suggested that he will be pushing on with the lawsuit and will seek to make his arguments in court, the Houston Chronicle reported.
"I'm taking a stand for righteousness," Christopher said. "I'm calling out Mayor Turner."
The conservative activist insisted that the drag queen performers are looking to groom children to become transgender.
"Why would they want to do that? Transgender (people) have the highest suicide rate. Why would we want to groom our children to be transgender?" he asked.
Turner argued that the lawsuit is "frivolous," declaring Houston to be "the most diverse city in America."
"We acknowledge and celebrate that diversity in all its dimensions," the mayor positioned.
"As mayor of this city I want us to be diverse and inclusive and I want to live in a city where people can be who they are and we can be tolerant of people 's opinions, ideologies, sexual orientation, ethnicities, religion and cultures."
The lawsuit in question argued that same-sex marriage has given license to LGBT activists to "viciously and violently oppress Christians and to misuse government assets to indoctrinate minors to secular humanism."
It also argues that "Drag Queen Story Hour" events are unlawful, because they expose children to "sexual immorality" and to "obscene speech" that violates "community standards of decency."
Schools have also been in hot water with some parents over hosting events allowing drag queen performers to read to children.
Several parents spoke out against a similar event at a public school in Colorado, though the performer, introduced as "Ms. Jessica," insisted that only topics about how to stand up to bullying were addressed.
"I went to four classes. In every class, one person asked me how to handle negativity and hate," the drag queen said. "There were a lot of kids interested in how I could have the confidence to go out looking the way I look."
Jessica added: "I would tell the parents, 'I'm not telling your kid to go off and become a drag queen. I'm telling them to have the conversations. Because, it will come up in life."
Correction, October 28, 2018:
An October 26, 2018 article stated that the lawsuit against Drag Queen Story Hour had been dismissed. A request for a temporary restraining order while the case move forward had been dismissed.
