Federal judge rejects fired biologist's free speech lawsuit over Yosemite trans flag demonstration
Key takeaways
- What began as an act of solidarity ultimately took a bitter turn for a National Park Service biologist.
- In February 2026, Joslin filed a lawsuit against several government agencies and officials, alleging unlawful and retaliatory action in response to peaceful off-duty expression.
- On Friday, a federal judge dismissed the case, ruling the court has no authority to force the park service to reinstate Joslin’s position.
Dr. Shannon Joslin, a biologist at Yosemite, was terminated after a group they were with while they were off-duty, unfurled a trans pride flag over El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. On Friday, a federal judge dismissed the case. (Pattie Gonia) By Jasmine Mendez Staff Writer Follow June 13, 2026 10:28 AM PT 1 3 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
What began as an act of solidarity ultimately took a bitter turn for a National Park Service biologist.
After helping display a pink, white and blue transgender flag at El Capitan in May 2025, Shannon Joslin, who uses “they/them” pronouns, found themselves at the center of controversy, claiming they were wrongfully terminated for their involvement and that their free speech rights had been violated.