UPDATED: Proposed Injunction Challenges Texas' Controversial Under-21 Stripper Ban

UPDATED: Proposed Injunction Challenges Texas' Controversial Under-21 Stripper Ban

[Update, Thursday 7/15/21, 9:35 p.m.: A previous version of this article published Monday 7/12/21 stated that the preliminary injunction halting S.B. 315 had been granted. The circulated injunction was only a proposal by the lawyers challenging its constitutionality. The hearing to decide on the injunction will happen tomorrow, one of the lawyers confirmed to XBIZ.]

AUSTIN, Texas — A U.S. District Court Judge in Texas is currently considering a proposed preliminary injunction prohibiting the enforcement of the recent state law preventing sex workers aged 18-21 from being employed at strip clubs.

The injunction proposal notes that the class-action plaintiffs “have a substantial likelihood of success on their claims that [recent Texas statute] S.B. 315’s age restrictions on employment or work at or with a ‘sexually oriented business’ are unconstitutional.”

The proposal also notes that “plaintiffs have a substantial likelihood of success on their claims under the First Amendment. The challenged amendments to Texas law infringe the individual Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights to engage in expression and association for expressive purposes.”

Moreover, the proposal continues, “the age restrictions are not likely to satisfy intermediate scrutiny because they do not further a substantial governmental interest and they are no mere incidental restriction on First Amendment freedoms; they are far greater than is essential to the furtherance of the state’s interests.”

Further, the proposal explains, the age restrictions "violate the overbreadth doctrine because the impermissible applications of the amended laws are substantial when judged in relation to their previously legitimate sweep.”

The proposal further rebukes the legislative overreach by pointing out that “age amendments to Texas laws violate the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as the Texas Constitution’s due course of law provision under Article I, § 19. The challenged amendments deprive Plaintiffs and members of the proposed Plaintiff Classes of their occupational liberty interest. The age restrictions are not likely to satisfy rational basis review because they are not rationally related to the state’s asserted interests.”

A preliminary injunction prohibits the enforcement of a law and mandates preserving the status quo while the underlying court case — in this case the class action suit — is decided.

News of the proposed preliminary injunction was first reported yesterday via Twitter by journalist Susan Elizabeth Shepard.

Infantilizing Sex Workers

The lawsuit refers to S.B. 315, one of two Texas bills passed in May by the Republican-majority legislature concerning the employment of workers in “sexually oriented business.”

As XBIZ reported in May, the companion bill (S.B. 766) stated that it relates to “sexually oriented businesses, including a requirement to participate in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-Verify, and [restricts] the age of persons employed by or allowed on the premises; creating criminal offenses.”

The bills had been lobbied by the group Operation Texas Shield, a nonprofit that targets what it calls “human trafficking,” and was one of the moving forces behind FOSTA/SESTA.

Language deployed in support of the bill concerned repeated appeals to “protect the children,” and steadily erased the distinction between adults 18-21 and actual minor children.

The new law's main advocate in the legislature, State Rep. Tan Parker (R, Denton County), told an interviewer: "Throughout my service as a state representative, protecting children is the bedrock of my legislative purpose."

"If Texas is going to eradicate the horrors of sexual abuse, we must be relentless in our efforts to prevent it from ever occurring," he continued. "It might come as a surprise that minors are allowed on the premises of a sexually oriented business. I want to change this for our state, and more importantly, our children who deserve to be protected and given the promise of a bright future.”

The campaign to raise the legal age for Texas strip clubs consistently spoke of “children” and “human trafficking,” when referring to 18-21-year-old adults, including those freely consenting to the work.

Main Image: Rep. Tan Parker (R, Denton County)

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Chloe Amour: Recharged, Refocused, and Ready for Real Love

These days, getting ahold of Chloe Amour on the weekend can be tough. She might ditch her phone, as was the case on a recent weekend while celebrating her birthday with family at Disneyland, riding the rides and taking in some sun.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Isabella De Laa, Cherry Candle Star in Latest From MixedX

Isabella De Laa and Cherry Candle star in the latest release from MixedX, titled “Between Us.”

Tony Sting, Adira Allure & Dominic Pacifico Headline Latest From BiPhoria

Tony Sting, Adira Allure, and Dominic Pacifico star in the latest release from BiPhoria.

Proxy Paige, Wolf King Release 'I Kissed a Trans and I Liked It'

Evil Angel has released its latest title, “I Kissed a Trans and I Liked It,” co-directed by Proxy Paige and Wolf King.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

Elly Clutch Stars in Latest From Brazzers

2024 XMAs Female Clip Creator of the Year Elly Clutch stars with Ricky Johnson in the latest release from Brazzers, titled "Elly’s Evil Twin."

Liz Jordan Crowned Newest Vixen Angel

Vixen Media Group (VMG) has crowned Liz Jordan as its newest Vixen Angel.

Brittney Kade Headlines Latest From TransSensual

Brittney Kade stars in "Sweat Slut Licks Pretty Pits for Bear Fuck," from TransSensual.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

Show More