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Aretha Franklin

Fact check: No, trans activists aren't boycotting Aretha Franklin song

The claim: Trans activists deemed Aretha Franklin's song 'Natural Woman' offensive

A Jan. 23 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) features a picture of singer Aretha Franklin alongside a screenshot of a tweet from an account identified as the Trans Cultural Mindfulness Alliance.

"Aretha Franklin's 1968 song 'Natural Woman' perpetuates multiple harmful anti-trans stereotypes," reads the tweet. "TCMA is requesting it is removed from Spotify & Apple Music."

Text at the top of the Instagram post reads, "Aretha Franklin song 'Natural Woman' deemed offensive."

The post garnered more than 5,000 likes in a day. Similar posts were shared on Facebook and Instagram.

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Our rating: False

There is no movement to seek the removal of "Natural Woman." The tweet where this claim originated was made in jest by a satirical account, though the account was not identified as such until after the Franklin tweet circulated widely on social media.

Tweet shared by satirical account

Once the tweet gained traction online, the account made a follow-up post explaining the original post was intended to be satire.

"As you now have probably figured out, this is satire and not actually serious," reads the tweet, which has since been deleted.

After several outlets published articles based on the assumption that the tweet was authentic, the account posted again in an attempt to clarify the situation. 

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"I am STUNNED that not a single media outlet who reported on the Aretha Franklin tweet even ATTEMPTED to contact this account for comment," reads the tweet, which has also been deleted. "Based on the sheer ridiculousness of the content on this page, how could JOURNALISTS not comprehend that this is parody/satire."

The next day, the account added the disclaimer "PARODY/SATIRE" to its bio. That was later updated updated to read in part, "If you think it's parody it is."

No organization with this name could be found elsewhere online.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment, as well as the user who posted the original tweet. 

Lead Stories and Full Fact debunked this claim as well.

Our fact-check sources:

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