A spokesperson for the musician confirmed that she will remove the offensive term for disabled people from her new song, Heated
. After a swift backlash, Lizzo apologised and replaced the lyric, saying that she had never wanted to “promote derogatory language” and adding: “As a fat Black woman in America, I have had many hurtful words used against me so I understand the power words can have ”
In the UK, the term in question is widely considered to be offensive. In 2003, it placed second in a BBC survey of the most offensive terms in the UK relating to anyone with a disability. In the US, however, it still appears in more common use.Australian writer and disability advocate Hannah Diviney was among the first to call Lizzo out, with her tweet going viral. Writing in the Guardian on Monday, Diviney lamented witnessing the same situation play out again so soon.
Beyoncé’s commitment to musical and visual storytelling did not “excuse her use of ableist language – language that gets used and ignored all too often”, wrote Diviney. “Language you can be sure I will never ignore, no matter who it comes from or what the circumstances are.
They later praised her for agreeing to change the lyric. “Beyoncé has a history of championing inclusivity, and we’re happy that she’s listened to feedback and agreed to re-record the lyric that many disabled people find offensive. We recognise that the word was not used intentionally to cause harm but words have power and can reinforce negative attitudes marginalised groups face.Topics
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