Texas AG reaches agreement with Denton over public changing room policies
Texas AG reaches agreement with Denton over public changing room policies
Updated at: June 7, 2026 at 09:01 AM
In June 2026, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reached a legal settlement with the City of Denton, ending a dispute over public changing room policies.
The conflict arose from 'Big Gay Swim Day,' an event organized by the nonprofits PRIDENTON and OUTreach Denton at the city-owned Quakertown Civic Center pool.
Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit against city officials, claiming the event organizers planned to use gender-neutral changing rooms, which he argued violated Senate Bill 8 (SB 8).
This law, the 'Texas Women’s Privacy Act,' mandates that private spaces in public buildings be designated by biological sex to ensure safety and privacy.
While the organizers maintained they were already compliant with state law and removed references to gender-neutral areas from their advertisements, the city decided to settle to avoid a lengthy court battle.
Under the agreement, Denton pledged to uphold sex-specific room designations, forbid the covering of facility signage, and ensure all event renters follow state law regarding these private spaces.
Paxton described the agreement as a significant victory for the privacy of women and children in Texas, reinforcing the state's requirement for government entities to adhere strictly to SB 8.
