Yosemite Valley, California - A wildlife biologist at Yosemite National Park was fired by the National Park Service after helping drape a transgender pride flag from El Capitan back in May.

35-year-old former National Park Service (NPS) employee Shannon Joslin was fired on August 12 after helping hang a large transgender pride flag from the El Capitan summit in Yosemite National Park.

According to the termination letter, which was issued by the park's acting deputy superintendent Danika Globokar, Joslin "failed to demonstrate acceptable conduct" by assisting in the demonstration.

Globokar on May 21 introduced a new rule that outlaws the display of any large flags, banners, or signs from El Capitan, and included it in Yosemite National Park's compendium of regulations.

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The move comes as the Trump administration continues to target diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the federal government, and to crack down on political demonstrations and free speech across the nation.

The president has also waged numerous attacks on transgender rights since retaking the White House in January 2025.

Joslin, who identifies as nonbinary and is gay, was let go less than a month before the end of a two-year probationary period, and despite being off duty when the demonstration took place.

"Everything that I did was off the clock and had absolutely nothing to do with my capacity working for the National Park Service," Joslin told the New York Times.

"I think that the administration is using me as a sign to tell all of the other federal employees that they have to be silent and comply, or they will be eliminated."

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National Park Service spokesperson Rachel Pawlitz refused to comment on the specifics of the case, but told the NYT that "several unauthorized demonstrations involving El Capitan generated numerous complaints from visitors."

"No matter the cause, displaying signs, banners, and flags outside designated First-Amendment areas detracts from the visitor experience and the protection of the park," Pawlitz said.