FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 23, 2026
Contact:
Joanna Citron Day, (240) 247-3081, [email protected]
Paula Dinerstein, (202) 265-6391, [email protected]
Park Ranger Fired for Hanging Trans Pride Flag Sues Interior Department
Lawsuit Seeks to Protect Free Speech and Other Rights
Washington, DC — Dr. Shannon “SJ” Joslin, a ranger and biologist at Yosemite National Park, today filed a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior for illegal termination citing a violation of their First Amendment rights and violations of the Privacy Act.
In August 2025, the National Park Service, together with the Department of Justice, targeted Dr. Joslin for exercising their First Amendment rights. In May of that year, during their time off from work, Dr. Joslin and fellow rock climbers unfurled a transgender pride flag on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park for less than three hours before voluntarily taking it down. For this expression of free speech, Dr. Joslin was summarily fired and then, in a significant escalation, criminally investigated.
For decades, climbers at Yosemite have expressed messages—political and non-political—from the iconic rock formation El Capitan. Prior to the action against Dr. Joslin, there is no record of anyone ever disciplined or sanctioned for hanging flags on El Capitan, let alone fired and criminally investigated.
The vindictive campaign violated Dr. Joslin’s First Amendment and Privacy Act rights and continues to chill their expressive conduct and speech. Along with the lawsuit, Dr. Joslin filed a motion for preliminary injunction asking for reinstatement and enjoining criminal enforcement for speech at Yosemite supporting transgender rights.
“This administration is targeting Dr. Joslin because it wants to scare people into silence,” said Joanna Citron Day, General Counsel at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and one of the attorneys representing Dr. Joslin. “Dr. Joslin exercised their First Amendment rights and is being punished to send a clear message—speech the administration doesn’t like will not be tolerated. Dr. Joslin was illegally fired and should be reinstated immediately.”
“If Dr. Joslin had hung a flag the administration liked, they would be working at Yosemite today,” said Clayton Bailey, Founding Partner at Civil Service Law Center LLP and co-counsel on the case. “That reality is totally antithetical to the basic First Amendment freedoms promised to everyone.”
Dr. Joslin’s suit and a motion for preliminary injunction were filed today at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
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Read the Motion for Preliminary Injunction
PEER protects public employees who protect our environment. We are a service organization for environmental and public health professionals, land managers, scientists, enforcement officers and other civil servants dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values. We work with current and former federal, state, local and tribal employees.
