Black women showed up and out for Lizzo after being accused of using the ableist slur “spaz” in her new single “GRRRLS” over the weekend.
In a tweet she shared on Monday, Lizzo apologized for the faux pas after mainly white folks dragged her on the social media platform. The “Truth Hurts” singer also removed the problematic word from her track.
“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.”
She continued, “As a fat Black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me, so I overstand the power words can have (whether intentionally or, in my case, unintentionally). I’m proud to say there’s a new version of GRRRLS with a lyric change. This is the result of me listening and taking action. As an influential artist, I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world.”
One white woman, in particular, was extra spicy in her response to Lizzo’s lyrics. She even tagged the singer.
“Hey, @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. ‘Spaz’ doesn’t mean freaked out or crazy. It’s an ableist slur. It’s 2022. Do better.”
Hey @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. ‘Spaz’ doesn’t mean freaked out or crazy. It’s an ableist slur. It’s 2022. Do better.
— Hannah Diviney (@hannah_diviney) June 12, 2022
In light of Lizzo being dragged online and her subsequent apology, Black women stood up for the 34-year-old singer on Twitter. Many sisters opined that white critics were anti-Black, and instead of using the incident as a teaching moment– they castigated and demeaned her. They also noted that “spaz” is used in AAVE vernacular.
“I am going to spazz” in AAVE means I am going to cuss someone out.
“You’re a sp@z” is calling someone a slur.
Nuance and context means things in language.
C*nt in the US is a slur.
C*nt in Australia is not a slur.#Lizzo
— You know what? f#ck everybody (@EchoesOfMoods) June 13, 2022
I’m not saying anything new but white disabled people especially from both the US & UK need to take a step back on the Lizzo situation. And amplify Black disabled voices especially from the US. It wasn’t lost on me how quickly most of you jumped to attack instead of educating.
— ?Bibi?
(@bibicosplays) June 13, 2022
I’ve seen a few comments across the internet talking about “Cancelling Lizzo” and that’s not what we want – we want to educate her and have the word changed
— Shelby ? (@Shelbykinsxo) June 12, 2022
Mind y’all Kendrick just made a song saying the f slur 20 million times but y’all coming for Lizzo over a word that’s not even a slur. YALL MADE THAT UP https://t.co/UInSoQKjx1
— Næya (Anti juneteenth)?? (@nayalations) June 13, 2022
Mind y’all Kendrick just made a song saying the f slur 20 million times but y’all coming for Lizzo over a word that’s not even a slur. YALL MADE THAT UP https://t.co/UInSoQKjx1
— Næya (Anti juneteenth)?? (@nayalations) June 13, 2022
a lot of y’all spewing misogynoir to lizzo for the word that she used…y’all could just tell her its a slur lmfao, its commonly used in aave so she might’ve not known what it meant.
— albumani is coming!! (@livmanisdoja_) June 12, 2022
Ironically, there was one disabled, queer white woman who understood cultural context. She fired off a succinct tweet that summed up what actually happened.
“Some white disabled folk need to stop edging towards racism, not including [explanations] like AAVE and using snappy first lines like, “Lizzo said a slur,” check yourself. and let’s also reflect on why we do hold Lizzo to a higher standard.”
some white disabled folk need to stop edging towards racism, not including explainations like AAVE and using snappy first lines like “lizzo said a slur”, check yourself. and lets also reflect on why we do hold lizzo to a higher standard.
— Luna
(@creativelies) June 13, 2022
“GRRRLS,” which sampled The Beastie Boys’ 1986 hit “Girls,” is the second track from her sophomore album “Special.”
The lyrics in question said, “Hold my bag, b*tch, Hold my bag/ Do you see this sh*t?/I’m a sp-z/I’m about to knock somebody out/ Yo, where my best friend?/ She the only one I know to talk me off the deep end.”
Lizzo’s made a conscious decision “do better,” and it was something to see.
But the other important lesson here is– Black women do not play about other Black women.
