After receiving online backlash and criticism from disability campaigners, Beyoncé says she will remove an ableist slur from her new album, “Renaissance.” The 40-year-old singer debuted her dance-inspired seventh studio album on Friday, but she came under fire over the weekend when fans noticed the inclusion of a derogatory term in the song “Heated.” On the track, co-written by Drake, Beyoncé sings the line: “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.”
The word “spaz” is a derogatory word that derives from the medical term “spastic cerebral palsy,” which is considered offensive to people with spastic cerebral palsy. People with the disorder have trouble controlling their muscles and experience tremors, muscle spasms, or abnormal postures.
Beyoncé’s new album has inspired a lot of discussion, and not just because of its music. She dropped the first single, “Break My Soul,” in June, which was her first full-length album since 2016’s “Lemonade.” The singer shared her creative process on Instagram, saying that creating the album allowed her a place to dream and find escape during a scary time for the world. She said she wanted it to be a “safe place” for listeners, where they could scream and release without judgment. Then last week, Beyoncé announced on Instagram that she would be editing one of the songs on “Renaissance” after fans complained that it used a derogatory term toward disabled people.
