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Omaha Steve

(106,804 posts)
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 09:47 AM Aug 20

Ranger fired for hanging transgender flag in Yosemite and park visitors may face prosecution

Source: AP

By MATTHEW BROWN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Updated 11:03 PM CDT, August 19, 2025

A Yosemite National Park ranger was fired after hanging a pride flag from El Capitan while some park visitors could face prosecution under protest restrictions that have been tightened under President Donald Trump.

Shannon “SJ” Joslin, a ranger and biologist who studies bats, said they hung a 66-foot wide transgender pride flag on the famous climbing wall that looms over the California park’s main thoroughfare for about two hours on May 20 before taking it down voluntarily. A termination letter they received last week accused Joslin of “failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct” in their capacity as a biologist and cited the May incident.

“I was really hurting because there were a lot of policies coming from the current administration that target trans people, and I’m nonbinary,” Joslin, 35, told The Associated Press, adding that hanging the flag was their way of saying, “We’re all safe in national parks.”

Joslin said their firing sends the opposite message: “If you’re a federal worker and you have any kind of identity that doesn’t agree with this current administration, then you must be silent, or you will be eliminated.”



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/yosemite-ranger-fired-demonstrations-pride-flag-2cf7e3d5af7f99857b968342634a6d68

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Ranger fired for hanging transgender flag in Yosemite and park visitors may face prosecution (Original Post) Omaha Steve Aug 20 OP
Would SJ have been fired if it were a MAGA flag ? Nigrum Cattus Aug 20 #1
Thread title suggests he was hanging park visitors too, GreenWave Aug 20 #2
They could have used that comma you left for them. :) TommyT139 Aug 20 #3
For want of a comma, ultralite001 Aug 20 #9
Great use of thousands of dollars for multiple prosecutions. TommyT139 Aug 20 #4
Prosecutions that hildegaard28 Aug 20 #5
We can only hope... ultralite001 Aug 20 #12
I was that optimistic once. Back in the '60's. niyad Aug 20 #14
Perhaps... TommyT139 Aug 20 #17
If they can get rid of abortion they can get rid of same sex marriages. H. Clinton, a few days ago. twodogsbarking Aug 20 #6
Sounds like persecution to me. hunter Aug 20 #7
CALL-TO-ACTION IN YOSEMITE VALLEY 24th August 2025 Rally · Hosted by Progressive Mariposa/Yosemite Area Indivisible usonian Aug 20 #8
Be there or be square... ultralite001 Aug 20 #13
Please keep all flags off of El Capitan Mblaze Aug 20 #10
You will get back pay. Puppyjive Aug 20 #11
I disagree with most other posters on this issue. Wonder Why Aug 20 #15
Not necessarily Mossfern Aug 20 #16

hildegaard28

(756 posts)
5. Prosecutions that
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 11:44 AM
Aug 20

Will be tossed out on 1st Amendment grounds. Trump can charge felonies all he wants, but judges and juries will still follow the law.

ultralite001

(2,017 posts)
12. We can only hope...
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:38 PM
Aug 20

Let them come + take it down... It looks like a challenge way beyond their skill set...

TommyT139

(1,767 posts)
17. Perhaps...
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 03:13 PM
Aug 20

I haven't kept up with the latest "protest restrictions." Also, who knows but some pitons were set, or larger anchors, which would turn into vandalism of federal property or some such.

First Amendment protections for protesters ain't what they used to be. And Trump has been stuffing judges into robes as fast as he's been able to, despite Biden's admirable progress.

For instance, a trans pride flag might be recast as who knows, terrorism, or pornography.

So...we'll see.

twodogsbarking

(15,301 posts)
6. If they can get rid of abortion they can get rid of same sex marriages. H. Clinton, a few days ago.
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:00 PM
Aug 20

Hillary is a smart human. Smarter that I, and most.

hunter

(39,846 posts)
7. Sounds like persecution to me.
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:13 PM
Aug 20

Our fuckwit king and all his fuckwit followers can take a hike.




usonian

(19,975 posts)
8. CALL-TO-ACTION IN YOSEMITE VALLEY 24th August 2025 Rally · Hosted by Progressive Mariposa/Yosemite Area Indivisible
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:34 PM
Aug 20
https://www.democraticunderground.com/104038483



A permanent YNP employee was fired last week for displaying the trans flag, in direct violation of the 1st Amendment.

In response, folks are mobilizing to rally and protest for Sunday, 8/24, 12:30pm-3:30pm, in Yosemite Valley.

Puppyjive

(803 posts)
11. You will get back pay.
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:37 PM
Aug 20

The next administration (democratic) will restore your soul and make you whole. I have to believe this.

Wonder Why

(6,112 posts)
15. I disagree with most other posters on this issue.
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 12:42 PM
Aug 20

The ranger knew or should have known that placing such things on National Monuments, no matter how noble, is offensive to those who want to preserve the Monuments in their natural state. Such signs belong in front of Repug offices, Congress, state houses, places frequented by the hate groups, etc. Even placing it such that it doesn't affect the Monument's or Park's primary objects of creation would, IMHO, be acceptable.

I think the termination of the Ranger would be justified given that other Rangers doing similar things were also treated in a similar manner.

As to the other participants, considering they removed it voluntarily and did no permanent damage, a small citation and fine would be appropriate.

Now the heat comes! Doesn't it?

Mossfern

(4,282 posts)
16. Not necessarily
Wed Aug 20, 2025, 02:31 PM
Aug 20

The Parks worker who hung the upside down American flag was not fired because of that.

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