Library groups, publishers criticize Tennessee secretary of state’s gender identity audit

Some libraries have shut down to conduct an audit of “age-appropriate” books as required by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.(Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)

Book publishers and literary groups are challenging orders by Tennessee’s secretary of state for public libraries to audit children’s collections and eliminate books dealing with gender identity.

Groups such as the American Library Association, Penguin Random House, the National Coalition Against Censorship and Lambda Literary were joined this week by PEN America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for free speech by defending literature and human rights, in denouncing directives by Secretary of State Tre Hargett. He is requiring libraries that receive state or federal grant funds to make an “age-appropriate” review of books and meet an order by President Donald Trump called “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”

The order has required some libraries to shut down temporarily, according to a WTVF report, and go through the expensive task of poring over books to determine whether they contain gender identity topics.

More than 30 organizations nationally signed on to a letter expressing “profound concern” about Hargett’s September and October letters issued within the Tennessee Regional Library System demanding a full review within 60 days. In addition to creating “widespread confusion, fear and operational disruption” in libraries statewide, the order put a costly burden on libraries and created the risk of illegal censorship, the letter says.

“It is illegal to remove books from public libraries because some people do not like them. This is a well-settled legal principle,” the letter says. It adds that reviews for removal based on a person’s “subjective opinion” threaten First Amendment rights.

The letter also says the executive order, which regulates only federal agencies, is not legislation and points out that Congress opted not to pursue such a bill.

Hargett’s Sept. 8 letter to the Library Regional System ordering the reviews says Trump’s executive order prevents federal funds from being used to promote gender ideology, which “replaces the biological category of sex with an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity.”

The secretary of state also makes note of a new state law, Dismantling DEI Departments Act, that “prevents governmental entities from using discriminatory preferences to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion.” He encourages libraries with questions about grant contracts or federal and state laws to contact their county attorney.

Final reports by regional libraries are to be made by Jan. 19, 2026 to the Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist.

Hargett’s office didn’t return a call Wednesday seeking comment.
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