Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin’s Iconic Song ‘Natural Woman’ Faces Calls to Be Removed From Streaming for Being ‘Harmful’

Nearly 55 years after its initial release, Aretha Franklin’s iconic track Natural Woman is potentially being canceled after it was deemed offensive.

According to The New York Post, the Norwegian activist group, The Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance (TCMA), took to Twitter last week to slam the famous track as it is harmful to transgendered women.

“Aretha Franklin’s 1968 song ‘Natural Woman’ perpetuates multiple harmful anti-trans stereotypes,” TCMA declared in the tweet. The organization then stated that there is no such thing as a “natural” woman. “This song has helped inspire acts of harm against transgender women.”

https://twitter.com/TransMindful/status/1616510029091471360

In an effort to cancel the song, TCMA stated it is requesting it is removed from both Spotify and Apple Music. The organization, founded in January 2023, is exclusively by trans individuals. It promotes cultural changes to ensure the inclusivity of trans individuals. “Our mission is to push forward the culture and remove harmful anti-trans associations in music, movies, and television,” TCMA explained. “Mindfulness of the transgender population is our only priority.”

Natural Woman was released in 1967. It quickly became one of Aretha Franklin’s signature songs. One week after Franklin died from advanced pancreatic cancer in 2018, the iconic single made history in the UK singles charts and became a hit nearly 51 years at #79. Among those who have performed variations of the song include Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Carole King, and Ariana Grande.

Aretha Franklin Made President Obama Shed a Tear Performing ‘Natural Woman’ at the Kennedy Center

While speaking to Vogue in January 2016, Aretha Franklin shared her reaction to her Natural Woman performance at the Kennedy Center in 2015 supposedly making President Obama cry.

When asked what she thoughts about the news, Franklin said, “I’ve been wondering about that. I don’t know. What do you think?”

Also speaking about President Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Franklin stated that they had always been wonderful at her performances. “I did see them right before I got to Kennedy Center, at the White House. We went over. I did see him and the First Lady briefly. There are about 400 people in line, so you have to be very brief.”

When asked if she had sung for every president since her career began, Franklin admitted she wasn’t able to for every single U.S. leader. She noted that President Bush gave her the Congressional Medal of Honor while President Carter “boogied” in the balcony to Rock With Me. “President Clinton, I sang at his post-inauguration party out in Maryland.”

Although she said she can relate to Natural Woman because she was very natural, Aretha Franklin said she didn’t think the track would be an anthem for women. “Just like Respect,” she added. “Women just seemed to take to it like that, and it became a mantra.”