AAP FACTCHECK – US Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has written an opinion piece for The Guardian about the benefits of dancing naked, social media posts claim.
This is false. Screenshots of the story have been edited to make it appear Mr Walz penned the article, replacing the original author’s byline and image with the Minnesota governor’s name and headshot.
Mr Walz has been the subject of multiple false claims since becoming Kamala Harris’s running mate for the upcoming US election.
Posts show a screenshot of The Guardian article with the headline “Male bonding doesn’t have to be about bravado and bros. Dancing on stage naked taught me a better way”.
The August 26 article has Tim Walz as the byline, with his photo under the headline.
The posts include the sub-heading: “Friendships based on sport and alcohol don’t always allow us to be our true selves. Shared vulnerabilities enrich our lives,” but don’t show the article’s text, which would reveal Mr Walz was not the author.
AAP FactCheck found the original article on The Guardian’s website, which confirms Mr Walz, who was a high school football coach, did not write the piece.
The article is written by Swedish author Gunnar Ardelius and features his photograph.
The Verdict
False — The claim is inaccurate.
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