Recent controversy magnet Beyoncé has drawn ire from activist Monica Lewinsky, as Lewinsky has called upon the singer to remove the mention of her in a song from 2013.
Fresh off the back of controversy around using an ableist slur in the track “Heated” on her most recent album Renaissance, Beyoncé is now being requested to remove Lewinsky’s name in her 2013 track “Partition” by the former White House intern on Twitter.
Though, to be fair, it feels as this request probably won’t be honored by Beyoncé like the one for “Heated”.
The reaction? Very much mixed, bordering on mockery for Lewinsky’s request. The lyrics in question are “Monica Lewinsky’d all on my gown,” in reference to, well, having an infamous affair with then-United States president Bill Clinton.
Lewinsky did respond to a tweet asking if she’d actually contacted the singer’s representatives, but said she hadn’t — but this had been something she had been canvassing for since her return to the public eye in 2014.
Others instead went for the jugular, poking fun at apparent “rap song muse” Lewinsky, as she describes herself on her Twitter bio – though one can enjoy a genre of music and also call out what is arguably a poor taste joke.
In 2014, Lewinsky did actually correct Beyoncé on the lyrics as well, saying it should really be “Bill Clinton’d all over my gown”.
But it’s not all negative, and some are actively taking Lewinsky’s side, believing there’s a certain double standard in the type of feminism Beyoncé’s fans seem to believe in. Lewinsky was abused by someone in a position of power at a young age in a workplace environment, is that not a very serious and important feminist issue?
It’s part of an ongoing cultural shift in how we discuss problematic ideas, and also how fast cultural norms have shifted. Especially in the information age, diverse storytellers with unique experiences have allowed people to better understand each other and what isn’t appropriate.
In all likelihood, it’s hard to see Beyoncé correcting the lyric after nine years. But, considering the rework on a track for Renaissance, it may be something she’ll consider.