Celeste Yim, the first out nonbinary and trans writer forSaturday Night Live, announced theyre departing the showafter five years in the writing room.Yim, 29, was hired in 2020 as a staff writer and promoted in 2023 to writing supervisor. They announced their decision in an Instagram post last week, following SNLs 50th anniversary season. Related Dave Chappelle accuses SNL of banning him from telling anti-trans jokes in his monologue Lorne hired me over the phone when I was 23 and the job literally made all of my dreams come true, Yim said of Lorne Michaels, the shows creator. BUT it was also grueling and I slept in my office every week BUT my friends helped me with everything BUT I got yelled at by random famous men BUT some famous girls too BUT I loved it and I laughed every day and its where I grew up.The Korean Canadian comic and writer, who started their career in stand-up in Toronto, was ambivalent about their status as a first on the show. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today I hate when other people say this but its true that I was the first ever out trans person to be a writer for SNL, the 29-year-old wrote. I always felt honored to be working within the long tradition of queer writing at the show. View this post on Instagram A post shared by celeste yim (@celesteyim)While Yims time on the NBC late night staplesaw the addition of queer and nonbinary cast members, including Molly Kearney and Punkie Johnson, the writer also had fun with political sendups like a parody of It Gets Better (showcasing Kate McKinnon with an iguana), and a Weekend Update monologue addressing anti-Asian hate crimes featuring close friend and out SNL colleague Bowen Yang.Thank you Bowen for changing my life and for making me feel normal, Yim wrote.During Yims tenure, SNL also earned backlash over hosting gigs granted to Shane Gillis and Dave Chappelle, both on record with homophobic and transphobic routines. When Chappelle hosted in 2022, an unnamed writer took the week off in protest. Unconfirmed reports revealed it was Yim.During a taped dress rehearsal, Chappelle referred to the writer as a they.The sit-out and the slight didnt seem to affect Yims sense of humor; they were promoted the following season.Many dont know this, but Chevy is non-binary! Yim wrote of founding cast member Chevy Chase in their farewell post.The replies were chock-full of well-wishes from fans and colleagues alike.Cast member Cecily Strong dubbed Yims time on the show The Celeste era, while SNL vet and fan favorite Aidy Bryant said simply, My baby.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.