{"id":2171777,"date":"2025-11-22T03:41:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T03:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2171777"},"modified":"2025-11-22T03:41:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T03:41:04","slug":"board-votes-to-remove-books-about-being-transgender-from-youth-areas-of-all-alabama-public-libraries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/board-votes-to-remove-books-about-being-transgender-from-youth-areas-of-all-alabama-public-libraries\/","title":{"rendered":"Board Votes To Remove Books About Being Transgender From Youth Areas Of All Alabama Public Libraries"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) \u2014 The board overseeing Alabama public libraries on Thursday voted to remove books that discuss being transgender from the teen and children\u2019s sections of all public libraries in the state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Alabama action is the latest salvo in the national fight<\/a> over library content that has frequently centered on titles with LGBTQ+ themes and characters. The Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors approved a rule that materials that discuss \u201ctransgender procedures, gender ideology or the concept of more than two biological genders\u201d are inappropriate for sections of the library aimed at children and youth. The books must be housed in the adult sections.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Board Chairman John Wahl, who is also chairman of the Alabama Republican Party<\/a>, called the action \u201ca major step forward in putting parents back in control in what their children are exposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe want to put Alabama families in charge. We want them to make the decision what is best for their families,\u201d Wahl said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"John<\/picture><\/div>\n
John Wahl, chairman of the Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors and chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, called the action \u201ca major step forward in putting parents back in control in what their children are exposed to.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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The state board vote came after a heated public hearing<\/a> last month. Opponents on Thursday called it an attempt at censorship and the erasure of trans people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The decision affects more than 200 local libraries and will take effect in 2026 after a required publication period. The language is being added to existing rules that youth sections must be free of material that is \u201csexually explicit or other material deemed inappropriate.\u201d The new language also includes a directive that \u201call material containing such content must be weeded out of the library\u2019s collection or relocated to an adult section.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mack Reynolds held a sign outside the building stating that \u201cpositive representation\u201d is not the same as sexually explicit material. He noted that the vote was taking place on Transgender Day of Remembrance<\/a>, a day that focuses on trans people who have lost their lives because of violence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Reynolds, who is transgender, said books are the best way for people to learn about people who are different from them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhat I hope is that other children can approach my daughter with curiosity and compassion. And if they don\u2019t know, then there is so much more room for angst, fear and frustration,\u201d Reynolds said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The scope of the new rule is not entirely clear. During a public hearing, some proponents had objected to books that teach children about pronouns or describe a child\u2019s experience being transgender. It is less clear if any book with a transgender character would be removed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMost of the people of Alabama have not asked for this latest library-fixated assault on the LGBTQ community because it\u2019s their children and children of friends and relatives you\u2019re attacking with this misguided proposal before you,\u201d Jim Vickery told the board during a public comment period.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Board member Amy Minton said most comments that they received during a public comment period were in favor of the change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis is what the majority of people of Alabama want,\u201d Minton said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Supporters of the proposal said parents who want their children to read the books can get them in other places, including the adult sections of libraries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Angie Hayden, a co-founder of Read Freely Alabama, said she is concerned the aim is to completely remove the books. She said state regulations do not allow the purchase of books aimed at children if state regulations also deem the book inappropriate for children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cSo long term they are banning these books, slowly removing these books from your public library,\u201d Hayden said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The board also tightened restrictions on youth library cards, stating that the \u201cstandard library card\u201d for minors cannot access books in adult collections. Libraries can issue an all-access card only with the written permission of parents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Board members also had sharp disagreements over restoring funding to the Fairhope Public Library<\/a>. The board had moved to withhold funding because of some titles in the teen section.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Board members rejected a proposal to restore funding immediately. Wahl said he wanted to wait until they had reviewed Fairhope\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cJohn, are you becoming the censor-in-chief for Alabama?\u201d board member Ronald A. Snider asked Wahl.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Snider said the state board is acting like a \u201cboard of censorship\u201d when they \u201csecond guess\u201d the decisions of professional librarians and local library boards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou can call it second-guessing or you can call it accountability,\u201d Wahl replied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n