Beyoncé will be removing the ableist slur from Heated, her team confirms

Beyoncé’s representatives have confirmed the “s” word will be removed from Heated.

Earlier today (1st August), disability activists publicly called the singer out for using the word “sp*z” at the end of the track. Heated is the 11th song from Beyoncé’s seventh solo album, Renaissance.

She raps the lyric: “Sp*zzin’ on that ass/sp*z on that ass,” which some fans pointed out was derogatory towards disabled people, particularly as the word used to apply to people with Cerebral Palsy.

Photo via Parkwood Entertainment

According to Insider, her team said: “The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.” It hasn’t been confirmed when this will happen, and Beyoncé is yet to address the situation personally.

Activists called for the star to apologise, particularly in the wake of a similar situation in which Lizzo was called out for the same thing. Her song, Grrrls, contained the lyric: “Hold my bag, bitch, hold my bag / Do you see this shit? I’m a sp*z.”

She issued an apology soon after, saying: “It’s been brought to my attention that there is a harmful word in my new song ‘GRRRLS’. Let me make one thing clear, I never want to promote derogatory language. As a fat, black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me, so I overstand the power words can have.”

Lizzo changed the lyric after making the statement.

Disability charity Scope also responded to the Beyoncé backlash, stating “disabled people’s experiences are not fodder for song lyrics. This must stop.”

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Featured image via Parkwood Entertainment.