Moms for Liberty attempts to restrict LGBTQ-plus books in local libraries 

In the leadup to Banned Books Week, one parent-led organization launched a mission to avert kids' eyes from literature about the LGBTQ-plus community.

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• Screenshot Taken From Moms For Liberty's Private Facebook Page
• OUTCRY Posts made by members of Moms for Liberty's private Facebook page sparked efforts to complain to local libraries about removing books on the LGBTQ-plus community from the children's sections.

"Who here is upset with some of the trashy library books they have let into our children's school libraries for our children to see?" San Luis Obispo County resident Erin Westmoreland asked in a private local Moms for Liberty Facebook group. "Let us know if you want to help make a change in our school's libraries. We need your help to get this to stop!"

New Times obtained screenshots of the posts from a source who requested anonymity for safety concerns. The earliest available post, dated Aug. 4, called for local group members to contact the Morro Bay Library to remove books from some shelves in the children's section.

"I just removed two transgender picture books on the 'New Arrival' shelf in the children's section at the Morro Bay Library," Megan Shanley Warren wrote in that post. "Yes, we love everyone, but do we need to shove it down our children's throats?"

Then, in a Sept. 4 post, another member Kat Fitzpatrick Helmick published a picture of a bookshelf at an unidentified Barnes and Noble location that stocked books celebrating the LGBTQ-plus community. Those books included My Two Dads and Me, Molly's Tuxedo, and Sparkle Boy.

"I'd check them all out and never return them," member Taryn Via commented under another post mentioning a book called All Boys Aren't Blue reportedly stocked in the Paso Robles High School library. "Paying the 'lost' fee is worth it. Then we'd use the books as fire kindling."

A nonprofit with roughly 300 chapters spread out across 45 states in the U.S., Moms for Liberty's self-professed mission is "to organize, educate, and empower parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government."

In SLO County this June, the local chapter of Moms for Liberty came under fire for allegedly targeting protections for LGBTQ-plus students in the Templeton Unified School District, according to prior New Times reporting.

The SLO County chapter's shrouded attempts to remove such books mirrors the actions of a Florida chapter earlier this year. In July, the Leon County School Library shelves found itself short of five titles because of complaints lodged by the local Moms for Liberty group. Those books are Push; Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl; Dead End; Doomed; and Lucky.

Moms for Liberty SLO's public Facebook page is devoid of calls for such action. The chapter told New Times that it isn't calling for restricting books but added a caveat.

"While our members have discussed books in public libraries, we as a chapter do not encourage our members to push for the removal of books in those libraries," Moms for Liberty said via email. "However, we do feel strongly that books within taxpayer funded schools, should be age appropriate."

Christopher Barnickel, the director of county libraries, told New Times the department was notified about social media posts that that showed a person claiming to be affiliated with Moms for Liberty hiding specific books behind shelves.

"We are not aware of any removal of titles from our library branches," he said via email.

Barnickel added that the libraries haven't had to enforce the penal code for interfering with library operations, which is a misdemeanor if the person acted intentionally, obstructed operations, and/or refused to leave when asked.

With Banned Books Week arriving on Oct. 1, Barnickel said that the county public library system upholds the American Library Associations' Bill of Rights to protect all patrons from censorship.

"We have great support from the Board of Supervisors to ensure that our libraries are free from political interference and open to all constituents throughout the county," he said. Δ