The Provo City Library in Utah has confirmed that an LGBTQ-themed children's book, "Pride Is Love," is part of its collection and is kept "central and easily accessible" for its youngest patrons. The library is responding to claims made by a conservative news outlet that the book, along with others, was being displayed to promote "progressive propaganda."
Carla Z. Gordon, director of library services at Provo City Library, told Fox News Digital that "Pride Is Love" and other similar board books are shelved in bins with over 2,500 other board books. She clarified that these books are "not on display" but are indeed easy to find for the library's "smallest patrons."
The Cougar Chronicle, a conservative student publication at Brigham Young University, had posted a photo of "Pride Is Love" and other LGBTQ children's books, including "Pride Puppy!," "It's a They!," "My Two Dads and Me," and "My Moms Love Me," with the assertion that the library was promoting "radical gender theory, critical race theory, and other progressive propaganda."
According to its Amazon page, "Pride Is Love" is intended for babies through age three and depicts a girl and her two fathers preparing for a Pride parade. Similarly, "My Two Dads and Me" is for babies and toddlers and illustrates the daily lives of LGBTQ fathers and their children.
Gordon referenced the library's Selection Policy, which aims to "collect, organize, and make easily available to the people of the community materials which will help them in the pursuit of education, information, and the creative use of leisure time." She added that the collection aims to provide materials in various formats and levels to meet the needs of patrons of all ages.
Gordon also noted that the library does receive complaints about materials in its collection. A process outlined in the Selection Policy allows for the review of materials in response to concerns, potentially leading to items being retained, moved, or discarded. She stated that the library does strive to represent differing perspectives on topics such as gender, sexuality, and race.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah appeared to express concern on social media platform X, sharing the post from The Cougar Chronicle and writing, "Come on, Provo You’re better than this."