Federal worker fired after hanging trans flag at Yosemite sues governmenthttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-worker-fired-after-hanging-trans-flag-at-yosemite-sues-government/ar-AA1WUzqj?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=583c5b7bbb024b658b95afc91a066427&ei=53 🔗 [Link: msn.com/en-us/news/us/federal-worker-fired-after-hanging-trans-flag-at-yosemite-sues-government/ar-AA1WUzqj/]Allison Pohle (23 Feb 2026)
A National Park Service employee fired after hanging a transgender pride flag at Yosemite has sued several federal agencies and officials over an alleged First Amendment violation.
The lawsuit filed in federal district court in Washington, D.C., marks the latest flashpoint in debates over what type of speech is protected at work and the rights federal employees have in sharing personal views.
In May 2025, Shannon "SJ" Joslin was among a group of climbers who ascended the El Capitan granite formation and hung a 55-foot-by-35-foot flag. The group of seven, which included other Park Service employees, hung the blue, white and pink flag after seeing Trump administration efforts to roll back rights for people who identified as trans.
Joslin, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, took part in the flag-hanging display at "El Cap" on a day off from work. The National Park Service fired the 36-year-old nearly three months later.
The termination notice, a copy of which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal, said Joslin failed to demonstrate acceptable conduct during employment and the flag display occurred in an area where such demonstrations aren't allowed. Joslin had about four weeks left in a two-year probationary period.
The National Park Service informed Joslin that a criminal probe had been opened into the situation, according to the complaint. The Journal couldn't determine the status of the investigation.
Joslin is asking the court to reinstate them as a Park Service employee, award damages and halt the criminal investigation.
