Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Beyoncé Says She'll Take Ableist Lyric Out Of New 'Renaissance' Album After Activists Speak Out

Beyoncé Says She'll Take Ableist Lyric Out Of New 'Renaissance' Album After Activists Speak Out
Mason Poole/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

If you were anywhere near a phone or computer over the weekend, you know singer Beyoncé has a new album out, Renaissance, which immediately broke the internet as Bey's rabid fans had the time of their lives bumping her new tunes.

But not everybody has been feeling the love, particularly disability advocates, who called out the singer for a lyric in one of her new tracks they say uses an ableist term for certain disabled people.


Beyoncé has taken the criticism seriously, announcing she will re-release the track with different lyrics that do not include the offending word.

See her statement below.

The lyric occurs in the new track "Heated" and includes the word "spaz."

While not widely recognized in the United States, the slur derives from the word "spastic." It is a slur used widely and derogatorily in other English speaking countries for those with disabling conditions that effect muscle movement and motor skills, such as cerebral palsy.

The term is particularly offensive in the United Kingdom, where it has a long tradition as a derogatory term and playground taunt, similar to the "r-word" ableist slur in the United States.

In a statement released by her representatives, Beyoncé confirmed she will be changing the lyric.

The statement read in part:

"The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced."

The flap comes after fellow musician Lizzo faced a similar controversy over use of the word in her song “Grrrls" last month, resulting in a similar re-release of the song with rewritten lyrics omitting the word.

UK disability advocacy organization Scope referenced the incident with Lizzo's "Grrrls" in a tweet that leveled pointed criticism at Beyoncé for releasing a song using the word just a month later.

The tweet read:

"Here we are again."
"Not long after ableist language from Lizzo, Beyoncé’s new album features an ableist slur not once, but twice."
"Disabled people’s experiences are not fodder for song lyrics. This must stop."

On Twitter, many applauded Beyoncé for the change.




But fans felt Beyoncé did nothing wrong and the push to change the song was inappropriate.


Beyoncé's team have not yet announced when the new version of "Heated" will be available.

More from Trending

Cover of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

People's Response To Merriam-Webster's 2024 Word Of The Year Just Proved Their Point

Merriam-Webster dictionary nailed it with their 2024 Word of the Year selection that accurately defined the divisive reaction to the 2024 presidential election results.

The dictionary's account on X (formerly Twitter) declared this year's Word of the Year was, "Polarization," and joked:

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Rages After Nobody Will Print Her Transphobic Holiday Wrapping Paper Design

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was called out after sharing a photo of her anti-trans wrapping paper design to lament that "no company" would print it due to its "offensive" nature.

Mace, who has courted significant controversy for her efforts to bar Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, from using the bathroom that corresponds with her gender identity, shared on social media that she attempted to create custom wrapping paper, seemingly intended for raising campaign funds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eugenio Derbez; Selena Gomez
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images, Amy Sussman/Getty Images

'Coda' Star Apologizes After Selena Gomez's Classy Response To His 'Emilia Pérez' Criticism

Actor Eugenio Derbez walked back his harsh review of Selena Gomez's Spanish in the new musical crime comedy film Emilia Pérez after she responded with class to the tough criticism of not being a fluent speaker.

Gomez stars as Spanish-speaking character Jessi Del Monte, the wife of a cartel kingpin who undergoes gender-affirming surgery to start a new life as the titular Emilia Pérez.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
NBC

Trump Dragged After Claiming He 'Started Using' The Word 'Groceries' During The Election

President-elect Donald Trump was dragged after claiming he "started using" the word "groceries" during the election—before asking, "Who uses the word?"

Trump, in an interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, emphasized the soaring grocery prices affecting millions of Americans as a pivotal factor in his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House.

Keep ReadingShow less
man pointing up
Alex Sheldon on Unsplash

People Break Down Their 'I F*cking Knew It!' Experiences

Sometimes you feel like you just know something is true, even if you can't prove it.

You may find out you're completely wrong. People usually don't like to talk about or acknowledge when that happens.

Keep ReadingShow less