Yosemite Climber Sues After Being Fired for Transgender Pride Flag Display

A National Park Service worker who hung a transgender pride flag at Yosemite National Park has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Washington, D.C., claiming First Amendment violations. The case centers on whether federal employees can exercise protected speech rights when expressing personal views on matters of public concern.

Named as defendants are the National Park Service, the departments of Interior and Justice, and officials including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Last May, Shannon “SJ” Joslin, a nonbinary individual with approximately four weeks left in her two-year probationary period, participated in a group effort that included other National Park Service employees. The group ascended the El Capitan granite formation to hang a 55-foot-by-35-foot transgender pride flag as a protest against Trump administration policies aimed at rolling back rights for transgender individuals. Joslin took part in the display on a day off work.

The National Park Service terminated her employment nearly three months later, citing failure to demonstrate acceptable conduct and stating that the flag display occurred in an area where demonstrations are prohibited. Additionally, the agency informed Joslin that a criminal investigation had been initiated into the incident. Her lawsuit seeks reinstatement as a National Park Service employee, damages, and a halt to the ongoing criminal inquiry.

In her statement, Joslin emphasized: “I don’t want there to be any indication that our constitutional rights only exist for those at the top.”

The case highlights longstanding legal questions about when government employees may exercise free speech rights. While federal employees typically surrender certain personal freedoms to maintain impartiality, the boundary between protected expression and disruption of agency operations remains contested. Joslin’s attorneys argue her actions fall within the category of protected speech made by a private citizen on matters of public concern, similar to previous flag displays at El Capitan. They contend that no penalties were imposed on other climbers who hung flags in comparable locations, suggesting Joslin’s firing constitutes viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment.

Joslin began working as a wildlife biologist in Yosemite in 2021 and eventually managed the park’s wildlife data and bat conservation program. After attending a demonstration against federal workforce reductions earlier this year, she organized climbers to support the transgender community. The National Park Service has designated specific areas for demonstrations that could damage park resources, but El Capitan—a towering rock face—has historically been a site for flag displays by climbers without formal restrictions.