DALLAS —Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the city of Denton to block plans for gender-neutral changing rooms at a gay Pride swim party.
Two nonprofits, Pridenton and OUTReach Denton, are hosting the “Big Gay Swim Day” June 7 at the city-owned Quakertown Civic Center.
In a statement, the city said it notified the groups that the event’s advertising conflicted with a new state law that restricts which bathrooms people can use in schools and government facilities. The city said it plans to notify Paxton’s office that it has already addressed the issue.
The groups said in a joint statement Thursday they have changed plans and removed language about the changing rooms on social media.
“This frivolous lawsuit is a waste of taxpayers’ time and money,” they said.
Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Dallas Morning News.
In the lawsuit filed last week in Denton County, Paxton accused city officials of failing to address the issue after a resident notified them last month of the gender-neutral changing rooms.
“That dereliction of duty will not stand,” Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement, “and I will ensure that Texas cities follow our state’s laws to protect women and children from men invading their spaces.”
Texas lawmakers last year passed a “bathroom bill” that prohibits transgender people from using a bathroom or locker room that does not align with their sex at birth in schools and government offices. Any government agency or public institution that violates the policy will be fined $25,000 for the first offense and $125,000 for a second. It is the most punitive bathroom law in the country.
Known as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, the law tasked Paxton’s office with investigating complaints. Late last year, Paxton launched a tip line for people to detail evidence of suspected violations.
Supporters said the law was needed to protect the privacy and safety of women and girls. Opponents have repeatedly pointed to studies that found no evidence that transgender people pose a safety risk in bathrooms or locker rooms.
Lawmakers in Texas have passed a slate of laws restricting transgender rights. In recent years, Texas banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, prohibited transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that do not align with their birth sex and barred student clubs based on gender identity.
The University of North Texas dropped its sponsorship of Pride events in Denton, citing a new state law that prohibits programming related to race, gender or sexual orientation.
Organizers said “Big Gay Swim Day” has since 2022 invited community members to “swim, dance and exist without fear of judgment or harassment.”
“It is disappointing that bad actors have attempted to turn queer joy into political spectacle” their statement said.
Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate against state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat, has announced a flurry of lawsuits and investigations that align with the Trump administration. In recent months, Paxton has targeted H-1B visas and demanded proof that school districts in Dallas-Fort Worth are displaying the Ten Commandments.