Aretha Franklin‘s classic ‘Natural Woman’ is not only one of her many unforgettable Hot 100 top 10 hits, but it’s stood the test of time as one of the greatest odes to womanhood in the history of recorded music.
Penned by the legendary Carole King, the tune – a signature vocal performance of Franklin’s – has found itself on several ‘greatest song ever’ lists over the last six decades and shines as an anthem of femininity for generations of women.
But, despite its legacy and enduring reverence, one LGBTQ+ activist group is challenging music lovers to take a deeper listen at its lyrics. Those words, the group allege, not only play on harmful anti-Trans stereotypes but also incite violence against women of the transgender experience.
Details inside.
Friday (January 20), the Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance – a reported LGBTQ+ activist group based in Norway – took to Twitter to condemn the soulful ballad for allegedly inciting violence against transgender women.
“Aretha Franklin’s 1968 song ‘Natural Woman’ perpetuates multiple harmful anti-trans stereotypes,” the tweet read. “There is no such thing as a ‘natural’ woman.”
What’s more, the organization called for the song to be removed from digital playlists because of its ‘harmful’ nature.
“The song has helped inspire acts of harm against transgender women. TCMA is requesting it is removed from Spotify & Apple Music,” the tweet concluded.
The post quickly went viral, leading a number of Franklin fans to defend the classic tune and slam the TCMA’s ‘harmful’ branding of it as ‘outrageous.’
Once the backlash reached a feverish pitch, the group updated the bio of its Twitter to suggest it was a ‘parody/satire’ page – even saying its request to remove the song from Spotify and Apple Music was done in jest.
Many critics suggest the original post, regardless of its satirical intent, may have done more damage than good given the reported increase in transphobic commentary it aroused.
Even the TCMA says their inbox was flooded with ‘concerning’ anti-Trans messages after the post went viral and was featured on several top news outlets.
The transphobic hate that TCMA has been receiving is very concerning. pic.twitter.com/9dzqzuXHaj
— TCMA: Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance (@TransMindful) January 23, 2023
Followers of the page know Aretha isn’t the first diva they’ve set their parodic sights on. Look below to see their mention of Patti LaBelle.
At writing, the Franklin estate has not offered commentary on the hoopla surrounding the viral post.
Good! Diva thinks It’s about time us trans woman put you fishy pus h*** in check 💅🏿 It’s us the men really want.💋
LMAOOO I knew you were a trãnny 😂😂
YASSS! lol
I knew you were not a real woman, thank you.
sir we been knew 😂😂🤣🤣🤣💀
Absolutely ridiculous.
The song was released in the late 60’s. So it isn’t shade towards trans women or the LGBTQ Community.
LMAO you cannot make this stuff up! Let me guess Shayla is the leader and Marilyn vice president. Dc is the secretary lmaoooo
Now c’mon…
Y’all allergic to reading or something. It’s a satire page. Careful your transphobia is showing b******.
Racism and homophobia are showing everyday here.
And I think it’s funny to realise that some people here that share hate towards homosexuals and colored skin people are trans ones. They will ask for respect without respecting others, hum.
i’m begging people to please READ the short article before leaving nonsensical comments. jfc.
Slow news day
And even if – their „parody/satire“ in this climate is very toxic, Cause we live in sich weird times that there very well could live some bluehaired nonbinary elves that would be very willing to demand such nonsense. They do more harm than good, cause honestly everyone is annoyed by this gender mess, even the majority of the lgbt community is annoyed that they are always being put in the same bag with those weirdos
#FACTS
Facts but you are always defending your other self aka Marilyn which just said here that she’s a trans but always talk like a racist and an homophobic. How funny is this.
The previous answer is for Shayla of course.
What a bunch of foolishness! Call yourself whatever you want, identify yourself as whatever you want, I don’t care! How are u a natural woman if u wasn’t born a woman? We gotta stop all this TRANS bs seriously. I wish the F they would take Aretha’s song off platforms bc a homo/trans offended by the lyrics. This LGRESPECT..MESS has gone on enough! Society don’t have to acknowledge you as “Real Man or Real Woman” but respect what you consider yourself. I sure hate the world my kids are being raised in these days. Even damn cartoons has this foolishness in it! So sick of this nastiness and foolishness. Can we vote for these types of things to have their own damn world/free from regular ppl. Cause I’m damn sick of’em!! Don’t be mad cause I wasn’t born with a real Puz..or Di;k. I’m sick of the foolishness coming from these things. You not gonna corrupt my world or children!
Thing it’s God who decides what “normal” is. So you have no effing choice but to relax and accept. Resistance is a waste of time, because it’s God create these people whether you like it or not. Jesus’s best friend was a “non-normal” person (marie magdalene), yet yall christian still don’t get the effing point.
It’s something I’ll never understand nor want too. I don’t think it’s right to hurt ppl because they identify as something different than what they were born as, but you mske ppl change their minds about how they feel. How u offended if you ain’t a real woman. The gay les trans community needs professional counseling really! How a song a real natural born woman made is offensive to someone who’s not!! Be called what u want but it’s all stupid. These types of ppl do anything for CLOUT! I wouldn’t even give this attention. Ms. Aretha isn’t here anymore to defend herself or song and shouldn’t have too. You’re not a natural woman or man bc you wanna identify as one!! This mess is straight stupid & comical in a sense.
This is why you f a g s belong in hell, because you’re all as dumb as f u c k. 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪
You will go to hell first for being disrespectful towards homosexuals who are humans like every others.
F a g s don’t have any rights, they are not people. Even animals get more love and respect than your people do. All they do is p*** and moan like the darkies do. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
This is beyond ridiculous, I am for LGBT rights but I will never agree with this, never. This is bad publicity for the LGBT community, this is going too far for no valid reason, this song has never been about discrimination against trans woman.
The Transformers are always trying to destroy something. They should stick to destroying their own body parts and accept majority of us will continue to see them as Decipticons.
This is too much lol what do mean by there’s no such thing as a “natural woman” ???
Bunch insecure mentally ill men.