You’ve probably seen the viral posts floating around social media: “No trans people or drag queens in the Epstein files!” It’s become a sort of triumphant rallying cry, a way to throw conservatives’ moral panic back in their faces.

There’s just one problem—it’s not entirely true.

And the actual truth is even more infuriating.

WHAT’S GOING ON: The Department of Justice’s heavily redacted Epstein file release included seven photos of Tigger-James Ferguson, a queer New York City-based drag artist and burlesque performer.

The images, according to LGBTQ Nation, show Ferguson performing his “Lily La Tigresse” act at a Bastille Day party at Restaurant Florent sometime between 2004-2007—a completely legitimate public performance at a beloved downtown Manhattan venue that closed in 2008.

OF COURSE: The right-wing rage machine is being fed exactly what it craves.

His images, mixed in with photos of actual Epstein associates, create guilt by visual association.

The only problem? Ferguson has zero connection to Epstein. He told LGBTQ Nation he has “never met nor had any involvement with Epstein or Maxwell or any of those monsters.”

He acknowledges Epstein or his associates may have snapped photos at the public event, but that doesn’t change what’s happening here.

It’s homophobic smear tactics with federal filing numbers.

Ferguson called it out directly: “I guess they’re still trying to peddle the ridiculous, despicable fiction that drag queens = p*dophiles.”

ZOOM OUT: This is happening while Trump’s DOJ breaks the law requiring full release of Epstein files. Many released documents were “just 100 pages of redaction.” The DOJ has released only 10% of total files. Photos of Trump with Epstein and Maxwell mysteriously disappeared from the DOJ website over the weekend.

Even Republican Sen. Rand Paul called the redactions a “big mistake” that will “plague them for months.”

BOTTOM LINE: The DOJ is simultaneously protecting powerful people connected to a child sex trafficker while using an innocent queer performer as rage-bait distraction.

They’re not just covering up—they’re actively weaponizing homophobia to do it. Ferguson is considering legal action for what he calls obvious libel. Meanwhile, the real files stay hidden.