In a breathtaking act of pride and protest, a massive Trans Pride flag has been unfurled on El Capitan — the iconic granite monolith in California’s Yosemite National Park. The 55-by-35-foot banner, the largest ever hung from this famous climbing wall, is part of a bold initiative called Trans Is Natural. Organizers say the action is “a celebration of trans belonging in nature, in community, and everywhere.”
The initiative also takes direct aim at the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to erase trans lives from public institutions — including government websites, education systems, and libraries — and its documented discrimination against queer and trans employees of the National Park Service. Pattie Gonia, a lead organizer, drag queen, and environmentalist, said, “We flew the Trans Pride flag in Yosemite to make a statement: Trans people are natural and Trans people are loved…Let this flag fly higher than hate.
We are done being polite about trans people’s existence. Call it a protest, call it a celebration — either way, it’s giving elevation to liberation.” The display follows the first known all-trans ascent of El Capitan by climbers Natai Endo and Juniper Welles in June 2023 — and echoes a February protest when an upside-down U.S. flag, a signal of national distress, was hung from the same rock face in response to cuts to the park service. Climber and ally Nate Vince, who helped raise both flags, said, “Trans people are my friends. I step up when my friends need help, and we all need to step up right now for trans people.”
