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Grammy winning pop star Lizzo was called out by disability activists for using an ableist term in her new song.
Her newest single, “GRRRLS” includes the line:
“Hold my bag, bitch, hold my bag / Do you see this sh*t? I’m a sp*z.”
While mostly recognized in the USA as a common slang term to mean “nerdy” or “klutzy,” the word is short for spastic. In other parts of the world it is recognized only as a slur that mocks disabled people with motor function or ambulatory disorders.
It's use in the UK and Australia is viewed to be as offensive as using the r-word slur—which mocks people with developmental disabilities—in the USA. As explained by NME, "spastic" comes from medical terms to describe disabilities that may cause spasms, like cerebral palsy or epilepsy.
Fans and disability activists took offense to Lizzo's use of the term.
The single was released on June 10 and people—mostly from the UK and Australia—quickly called the singer out on social media over the weekend.\u201cI\u2019m disappointed in @lizzo for using the word \u201csp@z\u201d in her new song \u201cGrrrls\u201d. There\u2019s no excuse for using an ableist insult in a song in 2022. As someone who champions women, plus size people and others whom society treats poorly, Lizzo preaches inclusivity and should do better.\u201d— Callum Stephen (He/Him) (@Callum Stephen (He/Him)) 1654981648
\u201cHey @lizzo please remove the word "spaz" from your new song because it's a slur and really offensive to the disabled community \n\nFrom a disappointed fan \ud83d\ude14\ud83d\udc94\u201d— Shelby \ud83d\udda4 (@Shelby \ud83d\udda4) 1654902420
\u201cHey @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. \u2018Spaz\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean freaked out or crazy. It\u2019s an ableist slur. It\u2019s 2022. Do better.\u201d— Hannah Diviney (@Hannah Diviney) 1655002677
Lizzo heard the feedback and wasted no time in making things right.
Monday the singer announced a new version of the song will be released with the ableist term removed.
\u201c\u2764\ufe0f\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
People were happy to see Lizzo own up to her mistake and take steps to correct it.
\u201c@lizzo good on you. always room for learning and changing.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Thank you Lizzo! We love you \ud83d\udc95\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Love you so much Lizzo \u2764\ufe0f this was a very kind way to approach this.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Thank you for listening to disabled people and doing the right thing!\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@Adrian_beautee @lizzo My favorite part is not only the accountability, but not making any excuses for herself either.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo THIS IS EXACTLY HOW YOU DO IT PEOPLE. you listen, you learn, you change. this is such a good way to solve this issue, quickly and easily.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
Still, some fans—almost exclusively from the USA—felt Lizzo didn't deserve any backlash and the song didn't need to be changed, blaming the reaction on "cancel culture."
\u201c@lizzo You did nothing wrong. Bring back the old version\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Sorry to hear this\u2026I get why @lizzo had to change it. But why do we live in so much fear now? People make unknowingly mistakes with words all the time\u2026it doesn\u2019t make them bad people.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo You folded? Lmao\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Like why\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
\u201c@lizzo Y\u2019all take things to far I swear like there are so many celebrities that say \u201cslurs\u201d and y\u2019all not canceling them and she didn\u2019t even mean it in that way.\u201d— FOLLOW @YITTY (@FOLLOW @YITTY) 1655160415
Lizzo is well known for standing up for what is right and defending herself and others from disrespect.
It is no surprise she listened to disabled fans and activists—the people actually impacted—on this one.