“The word, not used in an intentionally harmful way, will be replaced,” a Beyoncé spokeswoman wrote in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday. The song Heated, co-written with Canadian rapper Drake among others, uses the word “spaz”, which is considered a derogatory reference to the medical term spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. Lizzo removed the word from one of her songs, Grrrls, in June after disability advocates complained about the lyric. Lizzo said in a statement that she never meant to promote derogatory words. Disability advocate Hannah Diviney, who pointed out Lizzo’s lyrics and pushed for the change, tweeted that hearing Beyoncé use the word “felt like a slap in the face to me, the disability community, and the progress she’s making.” we tried to do with Lizzo.”
