We need to discuss racism in the disabled community
Written by Avery Oliver
Over these past couple of months, both Lizzo and Beyonce have come under fire for using slurs in their new songs. The slur in question is sp*z, a derogatory rendition of the word 'spastic'. The term and slur both cover a plethora of physical and mental disabilities and disorders that result in uncontrollable muscle movement and spasms. Such movements are experienced by those who have cerebral palsy to even those who have various neurological disorders.
Recently, we've seen the slur used by both Beyonce and Lizzo and after taking criticism, both women removed the lyrics from their songs completely. Hannah Diviney, a white disabled activist, has taken credit for getting both Beyonce and Lizzo to change the lyrics in their song. Behind her, white disabled users have also rallied and called out Beyonce and Lizzo as well.
On one hand, this shows how important it is for celebrities to take accountability and listen to the voices of the disabled community, on the other hand, as a Black autistic and disabled woman, the way this situation has been handled rubs me the wrong way.
First and foremost, it is not lost on me how only Black women have been called out for the usage of ableist slurs in their songs while non-Black celebrities continue to use ableist language daily.
This segways into the fact that while sp*z is indeed a slur, it has also very much been a part of AAVE - African American Vernacular English - for years and until recently was not seen as a slur by the able-bodied and neurotypical Black community. Even some disabled and neurodivergent Black people were not aware.
The reason it is so difficult for it to be seen as a slur by our community is that Black disabled activists are not getting the chance to speak on it now. Beyonce and Lizzo saw no problem using it in their songs, not because they are intentionally or maliciously ableist, which tons of white disabled people have made them out to be.
It is because, in the AAVE dialect, the term is primarily used to describe people getting excited, jumpy and out of control in party settings.
That said, it's important to understand that no matter who the term is being used by, it should still be considered a slur, but in order for the intersection of ableism and racism to be discussed in depth, the platform to speak on it needs to be given to a Black disabled person. This is the only way there can be true education.
The disabled community, no matter what color, has every right to be upset at the usage of slurs in pop culture songs. However, it's not lost on me how twice now, white disabled activists have centered their anger on Black American women while not holding other celebrities of different ethnicities or genders to the same standards.
White privilege and supremacy are constant factors no matter your marginalization, and in cases when Black disabled people are being impacted by an issue that requires our nuance and standpoint, we can see how white privilege plays a part when white disabled people are taking platforms that we should have and refuse to listen to us.
When Black disabled people are not free to discuss our culture and our language, and how that comes to play with our disabilities and conditions, miseducation festers on both sides. While one group falsely pushes the idea that singers like Beyonce and Lizzo are intentionally ableist for the usage of words that they weren't aware were slurs, the other side is completely unaware and ignorant to the fact that yes – even if the word has existed in AAVE, it is STILL a slur.
Language and meaning evolve over time, and even if at a point, terms weren't outwardly seen as a slur or problematic in a community setting, that can very much change. It shows just how important it is to listen to marginalized people within your community.
This is true for a word like sp*z because despite it being used as a casual conversational word in the Black community for years, it is still a slur. It is still harmful to disabled people, especially those disabled in the Black community and it's important to recognize that now as times are changing.
However, it is almost impossible to educate the overall Black community on such issues when again, Black disabled people are not afforded the same privileges and avenues white people are offered to speak on our issues and our language.
When we are over and over again, asking for white disabled people to listen to us and to give us platforms and space to talk, and we are being ignored, it is clear to me at least that most white disabled activists are not actually interested in education or spreading disabled activism.
This situation with Beyoncé could've been a perfect opportunity for cultural understanding, learning and growth. As a Black disabled person, I felt this could have been a chance to educate my community and the general disabled community about the intersections of race and ableism. Unfortunately, we lost that chance.
I've watched as the same white disabled activists who have only gone after Lizzo and Beyonce, are silent when white celebrities and non-black celebrities of color use ableist language and do ableist things. I've seen how some of them like and even support white celebrities who have used ableist language.
To me, it shows that their heart is not actually in disabled activism. How can it be if the only people they go after and villainize are Black women? How could they care about spreading disabled education and activism if they continue to ignore the voice of Black disabled activists begging to be heard? Does calling out ableism only matter if the victims are white disabled people, and the 'aggressors' are Black women who were not aware they were using an ableist word due to cultural reasons?
All I can say is that I am tired and that I just wish that my voice along with the voices of many other Black disabled people had as much weight and importance as white disabled activists. If your disabled activism is only focused on going after Black women and ignoring Black disabled people who call you out, then you aren't really an activist, and you need to reevaluate just who you are trying to speak up for.
Avery Oliver (she/her) is a 25-year-old Black freelance writer from Dallas, Texas. She loves writing about things that affect her and people who look like her. She wants to use her voice to spread awareness.