Yosemite Ranger’s Firing Lawsuit Over Trans Flag Is Dismissed

A former Yosemite park ranger who was fired for hanging a large transgender pride flag across the face of the prominent El Capitan rock formation had their employment lawsuit dismissed by a federal judge.

Judge Jennifer Thurston said in a ruling that the federal courts don’t have the authority to referee the claims made by the former park wildlife biologist, Shannon Joslin, who sued to reinstate their position after being fired last year.

Joslin, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, claimed in the lawsuit that the firing was vindictive and violated their First Amendment rights by punishing their ...