“Disabled people deserve better.”
One of the album’s songs, “Heated,” includes the lyric “Spazzin’ on that ass, spaz on that ass” — and “spaz” is a word that is largely seen by the disabled community as an ableist slur.
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Beyoncé has faced some criticism as a result — including an op-ed in the Guardian from disability advocate Hannah Diviney, who says “my heart sank” when she heard the word used on the album.
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“I’m so tired,” Hannah wrote in her essay. “Disabled people deserve better. I don’t want to have this conversation again.”
Now, in a statement to Insider, Beyoncé’s representatives have confirmed that the album lyric will be changed.
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“The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced,” the statement said.
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This isn’t the first time a pop star has made a similar move. Last month, Lizzo announced she was removing the same word from her single “Grrrls” after receiving backlash upon its release.
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“Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language,” she wrote in a statement at the time. “As an influential artist I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.”
Lizzo’s decision came after facing significant criticism from disability advocates — including Hannah, who said that hearing the word in “Grrrls” made her “pretty angry [and] sad.”
Hey @lizzo my disability Cerebral Palsy is literally classified as Spastic Diplegia (where spasticity refers to unending painful tightness in my legs) your new song makes me pretty angry + sad. ‘Spaz’ doesn’t mean freaked out or crazy. It’s an ableist slur. It’s 2022. Do better.
@hannah_diviney / Via Twitter: @hannah_diviney
You can read Hannah’s op-ed for the Guardian here.
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