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Gus Kenworthy drags Donald Trump over “Paris is Burning” tweet

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Split screen of Gus Kenwothy, a still from

The phrase “Paris is burning” dates back before the seminal (and controversial in its own right) 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning, which explores the then-underground queer POC ballroom culture in New York City in the late ’80s.

But the film’s huge impact, especially on young LGBTQ people who saw in it a fully developed queer world they could have never imagined existed, has effectively coined the phrase.

Related: “Paris is Burning” honored as newest addition to National Film Registry

And it is this rich history that was surely nowhere near Donald Trump‘s scattered consciousness when he inadvertently referenced the film in a tweet.

Naturally, the tweet was meant to insult large swaths of the world, boast of the incredible job he’s done as president, and interfere with the Fed. A true Trumpian trifecta.

Related: How A Screening Of ‘Paris Is Burning’ Sparked Outrage From Within The Queer/Trans Community

“It is incredible that with a very strong dollar and virtually no inflation, the outside world blowing up around us, Paris is burning and China way down, the Fed is even considering yet another interest rate hike. Take the Victory!” he wrote.

And leave it to Twitter to pick up of the turn of phrase.

Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy joked about it on his feed, writing, “Accidentally mentioning Paris Is Burning is the closest that Trump has ever gotten to supporting LGBTQ people…”

The comments poured in, including many references to the oft-quoted film:

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