Lisa Deaderick: Lizzo and Beyoncé called out for ableism in lyrics, but a white band is not. Activists say that’s a problem

A couple of things are happening in the recent controversies about the use of ableist lyrics in popular music. One is the inherent and systemic ableism in our culture that normalizes the use of language that stigmatizes people with disabilities. Another is the way that the response to these recent uses of ableist language are seen through the lens of race. Over the past couple of months, Lizzo and Beyoncé were both called out for their use of a word that is considered a slur in the disability community that refers to people with spastic paralysis or cerebral palsy. Both artists quickly took th…

Read More

View the full article