Trudeau to Strip For Gay Magazine [Updated: It’s a Joke!]

Barack Obama has sometimes been criticized for not being presidential enough, and Donald Trump has taken non-presidential to previously unknown levels. But at least they both have kept their clothes on.

From Canada comes the news–the story appeared on April 1, but doesn’t appear to be a joke–that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will pose naked on the cover of a gay magazine:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reportedly planning to take part in a nude photoshoot for a gay magazine, to raise awareness of body issues and testicular cancer.

The PM came to power in Canada last year and has put equality at the heart of his leadership: championing LGBT rights and feminism, appointing a diverse, expert-led gender-balanced cabinet, and making history by marching at Pride.

He has also been unafraid to make personal statements, posing in a pink shirt for an anti-homophobia campaign last month.

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Still, posing nude on the cover of a gay magazine is a considerable step forward. Or back.

PinkNews has learned from sources today that Mr Trudeau plans to go one step further – and has accepted a preliminary bid from a gay magazine to feature in their upcoming naked issue, to provoke discussion about body image and testicular cancer.

Mr Trudeau will be the first world leader to appear in such a cover shoot…

I should hope so. For what it is worth, the same news source reports that Barack Obama, David Cameron and Jean-Claude Juncker were also offered the opportunity to take their clothes off, but declined. Cameron managed to find some humor in the situation:

A source close to David Cameron told PinkNews: “The Prime Minister is very passionate about men’s health issues, but he felt in this case he could do more for the public good by keeping his clothes on.”

We live in serious times, but we are not blessed with serious leaders.

UPDATE: No sooner had I posted this than the Daily Mail, my original source, said the story had turned out to be a joke. It goes to show, once again, that you can’t trust any purportedly straight (pun intended) news story that appears on April 1. I will say, however, that when it comes to world leaders, it is getting harder all the time to distinguish between their actual antics and April Fools Day jokes.

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