Former Yosemite employee sues over El Capitan transgender flag firing

A former Yosemite National Park employee has filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service (NPS) after she was fired last year for hanging a transgender pride flag on the park’s El Capitan rock formation in California.

Shannon “SJ” Joslin, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, reported being fired after hoisting the massive 155-foot by 35-foot flag at Yosemite’s iconic rock destination in August. At the time, Joslin insisted that the flag was hung after business hours and had nothing to do with the mission.

“I was fired by the interim Deputy Superintendent for ‘failure to demonstrate acceptable behavior’ as the Park’s Wildlife Biologist. No part of the flag display was done during work time. NOTHING had anything to do with my work,” Joslin wrote in an Instagram post in August.

Joslin on Monday officially filed The National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Department of Justice claimed the termination was a violation of the First Amendment and an attack on the transgender community.

“First, Dr. Joslin’s termination and criminal investigation clearly resulted from the government’s opposition to Dr. Joslin’s off-duty speech in support of the transgender community of which Dr. Joslin is a part,” the lawsuit states. The statement is included. “Even assuming that Dr. Joslin’s actions in displaying the transgender flag violated existing NPS rules, applying appearance rules in a way that discriminates based on viewpoint would violate the First Amendment.”

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Joslin also claimed that the NPS was investigating the situation as a “criminal matter” even though “no one” had ever faced consequences for such a demonstration. Joslin is seeking reinstatement to NPS, claiming the termination caused “mental anguish” and worsened ongoing medical problems.

Joslin is requesting extradition to Yosemite National Park and the National Park Service. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

“My life has been overhauled by an administration that wants to take away basic constitutional rights and destroy the lives of people who think differently or are different from them,” Joslin said. he said. SFGATE. “I will not sit back and accept the failure of American democracy, and this lawsuit is my way of giving voice to and fighting for all federal, trans, and human rights in the United States.”

NPS and the Department of the Interior declined to comment on the legal case but released a statement to Fox News Digital emphasizing that the agencies take preservation of the park “very seriously.”

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“Yosemite National Park was designated by Congress to highlight the area’s beautiful natural and cultural features. Regardless of the reason, performing without a permit outside designated First Amendment areas is detrimental to the visitor experience and preservation of the park. Many demonstrations require permits to ensure the protection of visitors, visitor experiences, and park resources,” the statement said.

The National Park Service reiterated its commitment to protecting the parks’ natural resources. (iStock)

Fox News Digital has also reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

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Shortly after the first show, the park’s then-superintendent Ray McPadden signed an autograph. directive prohibition Prevent the unauthorized display of “any banner, flag, or sign greater than fifteen square meters… or any array or combination of banners, flags, or signs totaling more than fifteen square meters.”

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