The board governing Alabama's public libraries has made a decisive move that's drawing attention across North America, including in Canada. On Thursday, the Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors approved a new regulation requiring books that discuss transgender topics to be removed from children's and teen sections in all public libraries statewide.
Content Restrictions and Implementation Timeline
The newly approved rule specifically targets materials that address "transgender procedures, gender ideology or the concept of more than two biological genders." According to the decision, these books must be housed exclusively in adult sections of library facilities. The regulation will affect more than 200 local libraries across Alabama and is scheduled to take effect in 2026 following a mandatory publication period.
Board Chairman John Wahl, who also serves as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, defended the decision as "a major step forward in putting parents back in control in what their children are exposed to." Wahl emphasized that the move aims to empower Alabama families to make decisions they consider best for their children.
Heated Debate and Opposition Voices
The board's vote followed a contentious public hearing last month and occurred on Transgender Day of Remembrance, adding emotional weight to the proceedings. Opponents of the measure immediately condemned it as censorship and an attempt to erase transgender people from public visibility.
Mack Reynolds, a transgender individual who protested outside the meeting building, held a sign stating that "positive representation" differs significantly from sexually explicit material. Reynolds expressed concern that removing these educational resources would limit opportunities for children to learn about people different from themselves.
"What I hope is that other children can approach my daughter with curiosity and compassion," Reynolds stated. "And if they don't know, then there is so much more room for angst, fear and frustration."
Unclear Scope and Future Implications
The exact scope of the new rule remains somewhat ambiguous. While some supporters had objected to books teaching children about pronouns or describing transgender experiences during public hearings, it's uncertain whether any book featuring a transgender character would automatically face relocation.
Angie Hayden, co-founder of Read Freely Alabama, voiced concerns that the ultimate goal might be complete removal of these books from library collections. She pointed to state regulations that prohibit purchasing books aimed at children if those same books are deemed inappropriate for young readers.
"So long term they are banning these books, slowly removing these books from your public library," Hayden warned.
The board also implemented stricter regulations on youth library cards, specifying that standard cards for minors cannot access materials in adult collections. Libraries may only issue all-access cards with written parental permission.
Board member Ronald A. Snider directly challenged Chairman Wahl during the meeting, asking if he was becoming "the censor-in-chief for Alabama." Snider argued that the state board was acting like a "board of censorship" by second-guessing decisions made by professional librarians and local library boards.
Wahl countered that the oversight represented accountability rather than censorship. The division among board members extended to other matters, including sharp disagreements over restoring funding to the Fairhope Public Library, which had faced financial withholding due to controversial titles in its teen section.
