A former Georgia library manager has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was unlawfully fired after allowing a children’s book featuring a transgender character to appear in a summer reading display.
LaVonnia Moore, who managed the Pierce County Public Library in Blackshear for 15 years, filed the lawsuit Monday, October 26, against Pierce County and the Three Rivers Regional Library System. The complaint alleges violations of her constitutional rights and federal employment discrimination protections.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Moore was terminated in June 2025 after conservative residents complained about the inclusion of When Aidan Became a Brother, a 2019 children’s book by Kyle Lukoff about a transgender boy and his family.
The book appeared in a display celebrating Georgia’s statewide summer reading program, themed “Color Our World.” Moore had invited local children and parents to select colorful books from the library’s existing collection.
A child selected the transgender-inclusive book, which was subsequently featured in a photograph shared on social media.
The display prompted objections from conservative community members, including activists associated with the Alliance for Faith and Family. According to the lawsuit, county commissioners threatened to withhold library funding unless Moore was dismissed.
Moore was fired on June 18, 2025.
The lawsuit alleges discrimination based on race, sex and religion, along with violations of Moore’s rights to free speech, due process and equal protection. Moore, who is Black, also alleges that the library system replaced her with a white woman.
The dispute follows earlier tensions involving LGBTQ+ visibility in local libraries. In 2024, Pierce County withdrew from the Okefenokee Regional Library System following controversy over Pride flags and a mural featuring a rainbow heart alongside the message “Libraries are for everyone.”
Moore maintains that allowing children to participate in selecting books was consistent with her professional responsibilities and the library’s mission of serving the entire community.
In a statement previously reported by Georgia Public Broadcasting, Moore said her dismissal was not related to poor performance but resulted from political pressure.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages, benefits, emotional distress and other damages associated with her termination.
Neither Pierce County nor the Three Rivers Regional Library System had formally responded to the lawsuit as of the latest reporting.
Despite the controversy surrounding its inclusion in the display, When Aidan Became a Brother reportedly remains available in the Pierce County Public Library’s collection.
The case raises broader questions about political influence over public libraries, employees’ constitutional protections and the consequences librarians may face for including LGBTQ+ literature in community programming.
