Nolensville Public Library Stocking Shelves With LGBTQ+ Children’s Books

Image Credit Nolensville Public Library Branch / Facebook & TTC Source

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

Queer theory and gender ideology continue to impact children across the state through the books allowed in both public and school library “children’s” sections.

In light of the many concerns of parents alongside Tennessee’s continued affiliation with the American Library Association, one of our readers reached out to The Tennessee Conservative about what exactly the Nolensville Public Library has to offer in their children’s department.

The book in question, “Together: A First Conversation About Love” is clearly directed towards a young demographic yet discusses LGBTQ+ relationships and goes as far as to depict what is clearly a grown man wearing a wedding dress. 

The inside cover page of the book displays animated caricatures of the three book creators and provides a set of pronouns for each. 

Megan Madison, a Trainor at the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and Jessica Ralli, the Early Literacy Programs Coordinator at Brooklyn Public Library both go by she/her pronouns. But Illustrator and Web Comic Creator Anne/Andy Passchier, goes by they/them pronouns. 

“This queer-affirming book starts the conversation about what healthy love looks and feels like,” reads an introduction by Madison and Ralli. “It’s okay to take a break, leave something out for now, or weave in stories of your own.”

According to the book’s Amazon listing, the reading age for this material is 2-5 years old. 

“I can love people of any gender – I’m queer,” says one book character. “I’m a man who loves women – I’m straight,” says another. The author then asks young readers what words they know, clearly prompting parents and children to discuss a myriad of other LGBTQ+ terminology. 

Another page reads, “Anybody can love anybody. And there are lots of different words you might use to talk about who you are and who you love romantically when you get older.”

The book tells children that “There are some special kinds of love you might feel when you get bigger,” and that “There are lots of different ways grown-ups can choose to show this kind of love to each other.”

It is also stated that while families have always been made “in lots of different ways,” those families have not always been accepted because “for a long time, people in power have made unfair rules about who can love each other and who can be a family.”

A husband-and-wife couple is depicted on the book’s cover, however a majority of the illustrations depict LGBTQ+ couples, both with and without children.

“Notice the bearded man in the wedding dress,” stated our source. “Even a 3-yr [old] girl who can’t read, can be shocked by this and understand the inversion.”

Nolensville Public Library, is in fact a public library and not subject to the supervision of a school board, held accountable by parents. 

However, this proves to be yet another example of the influence that proponents of queer theory and gender ideology have on educational spaces in Tennessee and across the country.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.