In March 2026, in the United States, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo concert featuring Megan Moroney, alongside five guests. She and her group attempted to access a VIP area known as 'the dirt' without having purchased the required wristbands, which cost $425 each. Despite being provided with $9,000 worth of tickets for previous concerts, Hidalgo claimed she was manhandled and compelled to leave the venue, raising allegations of racism and sexism by the rodeo officials. The rodeo committee stated that she was repeatedly told to return to her assigned seating area before being escorted out, supported by law enforcement's absence of any remarks on mistreatment during the incident. Following her removal, Hidalgo addressed the media, claiming to have been treated unfairly and that her experience reflects a broader issue regarding treatment of minorities, especially in positions of authority. As a result of the incident and subsequent publicity, the rodeo organization revoked her ex-officio director status, and she will now need to pay to attend future events like any other attendee. Hidalgo's claims have been met with skepticism by officials, who argue that such treatment due to her gender or ethnicity is unsubstantiated. They emphasized that she is the only official consistently requesting premium seating for multiple concert nights, raising concerns about her demands for preferential treatment.