YOSEMITE VALLEY — U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston dismissed a lawsuit filed by former Yosemite National Park ranger Shannon "SJ" Joslin. Joslin was terminated from a probationary park ranger position after displaying a transgender pride flag on El Capitan in May 2025.

Judge Thurston ruled that Joslin must pursue their claim through the administrative procedures established by the Civil Service Reform Act. Joslin filed a complaint regarding their termination with the Office of Special Counsel, which denied a request to suspend the termination while reviewing the case. A final determination from the Office of Special Counsel is scheduled for August.

The flag, measuring 66 feet wide, remained on El Capitan for approximately two hours before Joslin voluntarily removed it on May 20, 2025. Joslin received a termination letter in August 2025 that cited the flag incident as grounds for dismissal, stating that they participated in an unauthorized demonstration and violated park visitor rules.

The day after the flag display, Yosemite National Park implemented a regulation prohibiting banners, flags, or signs larger than 15 square feet in wilderness-designated areas. This new size restriction applies to approximately 94 percent of the park. The dismissal order did not adjudicate the substantive merits of Joslin's free speech allegations.

Joslin's legal filing accused the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior of constitutional violations, including the infringement of free speech rights. "I hung the flag in my free time, off-duty, as a private citizen. It flew for a total of two hours in the morning and then I took it down. El Capitan has had flags hung on it for decades and no one has ever been punished for it," Joslin stated. Joslin added, "This just slows down the process of allowing justice to be served for the American people and slows down allowing National Park Service employees to be effective stewards of public lands." Joslin also said, "So it does not matter if it takes months or years to get back to working for Yosemite and the people who want to visit the park, I will fight as long as I have to." Joslin also stated that while other individuals have flown flags on El Capitan, they are unaware of anyone else facing disciplinary action for similar displays.

Judge Thurston acknowledged that federal civil service rules provide limited legal recourse for probationary employees challenging termination decisions. The judge noted that allowing probationary employees to bypass administrative procedures and sue directly would grant them greater options than tenured employees possess. Judge Thurston denied a motion for a preliminary injunction, ruling that the dismissal precluded Joslin from demonstrating a likelihood of success on the merits. "We're all safe in national parks." Joslin said.