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Judge finds no authority to reinstate Yosemite ranger fired for trans flag

The judge said the court could not reinstate Shannon Joslin or block a possible criminal investigation after the ranger was fired for the flag display.

  • On Friday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston dismissed a lawsuit from former Yosemite National Park ranger Shannon SJ Joslin, ruling the court lacked authority to reinstate the employee or address the termination claims.
  • The National Park Service fired Joslin last year for unfurling a 55-foot by 35-foot transgender pride flag across El Capitan, an act Joslin maintains was protected by the First Amendment.
  • Joslin argued the government "enforced its rules selectively based on the message that the pride flag sends," while the Interior Department maintained the firing was based on conduct, not speech.
  • Thurston directed Joslin to pursue claims through the Office of Special Counsel, noting the court cannot review the termination or block potential criminal investigations the former ranger also faces.
  • This legal challenge follows a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and "gender ideology" across the federal government, with The Civil Service Law Center representing Joslin.
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Federal judge rules she lacks authority to reinstate fired Yosemite ranger who flew trans pride flag

A federal judge ruled she lacks authority to reinstate a fired Yosemite park ranger who flew a trans pride flag across El Capitan on their day off.

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KMPH broke the news on Friday, June 12, 2026.
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