Beyonce Responds To Offensive 'Heated' Lyric Criticism

Graeme O'Neil takes a look at Beyonce's response to criticism over using the word "spaz" in her song "Heated", which can be used as a slur for people with cerebral palsy.

[Ash-A]

It’s hard to be on the ball when the list of words and things not to say gets longer and longer. Nobody is outraged when the n word is placed in songs.

[Rosannasfriend]

I don’t know… It’s basically telling someone that they can’t talk about “going crazy” in lyrics anymore… Censorship is going wild these days!

[redscorpion]

To me Spaz out means that Person is about to Wild out or flip out

[angelabest]

As someone who uses a wheelchair and also has spasms the word spaz being ableist is such bullsh!t. These so called disability advocates really need to focus on the things that really affect us in the disability community like income and housing.
Also many words in the dictionary have more than one meaning. The is a word for cigarette in the UK that is totally offensive to some in the US. Look it up if you don't know. Anyway that's my thoughts. Lizzo and Beyoncé should have never changed their lyrics.

[aysiaharris]

I literally hate it here! Artists have been using spazz in theirs lyrics for YEARS!! Since when has that been an offensive term?! Y’all need stop being sensitive and find something safe to do! 🙄

[robertprice]

This was a 90s slang, and my friends, who have cerebral palsy said, that was not on their mind, in the UK it's offered but not in the US we have other slurs towards disabilities

[haveahappyday]

This is ridiculous to say the least!!I have used this word my whole life and will continue to do so!! It's a slang word that's been around for a long time.

[redscorpion]

I didn’t know that word had anything to do with disabled People, I use to hear the phrase Spaz out all the time but I guess it has different meanings nowadays

[KairoK]

Next they'll tell her to re-do CRAZY in love. When the album has n-words on it, calling her out for THIS seems ridiculous. The fact is, if you can understand the context of one, you can understand the CONTEXT of the other.

[chi]

Y’all do too much. Spaz is an African American slang. Y’all can’t control african American vernacular. Stop it

[osnapitzsamd]

I'm sorry but the disabled community? Sounds fucking weird how everything good and bad in people's lives is a community now.

[CalledHere]

Wait, let me get this straight, spaz is removed due to hurting the disability community but all the cursing, sexually explicit content, and blaspheming God's name is OK. This world is lost!

[CancelHappiness]

Lost alot of respect for her for giving in to these pathetic people and their sad, asinine demands to stifle and censor art, artist, and free speech in general

[awestown]

This is definitely a consequence of global reach. Spaz is a popular term in Black America that has no association with people who have disabilities. It's not even spelled the same way. But I guess the slang word will fade away like the old English term niggardly (means in a stingy way) did - for similar reasons.

[jraheemjefcoat]

So the word "Spaz" is offensive. Especially people from the UK. But guess what word they call a cigarette? Starts with an F and ends with a G..Where's the public outrage is that? But pick on the Black Artists for using the word that is use in our culture in a different way.

[lovesphynx]

She took that song off well I recorded it before she did spaz we can’t say anymore….y’all just changing everything

[mechaelculbreath]

What tf does spaz have to do with a friggin wheelchair?? Don't know exactly what the world is coming to...but I don't like it!

[sclabignate]

I’m not even a fan but this corny smh This world gotta grow up. 💡

[maxsiqueira]

How many days until the word Crazy is also banned?

[JKReAl]

Good for Beyoncé, listening and learning, even though that word in the African American vernacular had no meaning whatsoever close to a ableist slur.
Now, and here help us Graeme let’s denounce Hannah Diviney who has declined in countless occasions to denounce the use of the word f*g because in the Uk where she lives has “another meaning” like a cigarette, when is a homophobic slur. Then I would ask you to take a look to the thread of the tweet that you showed, how is filled with monkey gifs bullying black people and she has also refused to denounce that, let’s make it clear that respect and learning is also an opportunity for her and the only bigotry I am looking is the one from Hannah Diviney