Lizzo has released a new version of her single "Grrrls" after the opening lyrics were criticized as "ableist."
In the original, Lizzo used a slur derived from "spastic," which is used to describe someone born with a disability that makes it difficult for them to control their muscles, per Collins Dictionary.
As the dictionary points out, the word is an "offensive" and an "old-fashioned" term for a person with cerebral palsy, especially in British English.
Upon the song's release last Friday, Lizzo swiftly received backlash from disability activists.
"Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language," she wrote in a statement on Monday. "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)."
—FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) June 13, 2022
The song, which samples the Beastie Boys' 1987 hit "Girls," has been updated to omit the slur. The controversial line has been updated to "Hold me back."
Lizzo said the change is the result of "listening and taking action."
"As an influential artist, I'm dedicated to being a part of the change I've been waiting to see in the world," she concluded in her statement.
