Beyonce and Lizzo set the bar for fixing ableist lyrics

Beyonce will re-record the song Heated to remove an ableist slur after public outcry from disabled people, and activists are hopeful that it will signal more changes in language in music lyrics. Representatives for Beyonce told CNN on Monday that “the word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced.” Ola Ojewumi, the founder and director of education non-profit Project Ascend, said she was struck by Beyonce’s accountability — and by the disproportionate focus on Black women artists for using the term. “There's a concentrated focus on Black women singers who use ableist language, but the same anger and the same outcry does not exist for White musicians,” said Ojewumi, who is also a disability advocate. Ableism, which is commonly used to refer to discrimination against disabled people or those whose bodies and needs differ from narrow expectations, “is really insidious, exhausting and all too commonly baked into our everyday structures so that people don’t even raise an eyebrow,” said Hannah Diviney, a writer and disability advocate in Australia. “When you know what it feels like to be harmed, and you have a platform and you take responsibility and you immediately get to work on righting the wrong, you not only are doing your work, but hopefully continuing to set an example,” said Nakisha Lewis, the president and chief executive officer of Breakthrough, a nonprofit dedicated to advocacy and equity in media, said taking action quickly is key in helping mitigate harm.