A federal judge dismisses a lawsuit brought by a former Yosemite National Park ranger who was fired after a large transgender pride flag was displayed from a prominent rock wall above the park’s main thoroughfare in California. The dispute centers on the ranger’s claims related to free speech and the government’s response to the flag display. According to reporting, Shannon “SJ” Joslin, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, said they helped hang a roughly 66-foot-wide transgender pride flag on El Capitan for about two hours on May 20, 2025, and then removed it voluntarily.
Judge Jennifer Thurston rules that, because Joslin was a probationary employee at the time of termination, the employee must use the procedural pathway established under the Civil Service Reform Act. The judge finds that the case cannot proceed as filed and points Joslin to the required process, noting Joslin has already filed a complaint with the office of special counsel. Multiple outlets report the dismissal is based on process rather than the merits of the speech-related argument.
