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File image of Beyonce in 2019. UPI/PA Images

Beyonce to remove offensive lyric from new album after criticism from disability advocates

The US singer will re-record the track Heated from her latest album Renaissance.

BEYONCE WILL REMOVE a derogatory term for disabled people from a song on her new album, a spokesperson has said. 

The US singer will re-record the track Heated from her latest album Renaissance. A representative for Beyonce said the word was “not used intentionally in a harmful way”. 

Co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, the dance track contained a derogatory term for a type of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia.

Disability campaigners had criticised the use of the word, particularly after a similar situation happened in June when singer Lizzo removed the same term from her song Grrrls. 

Australian disability advocate Hannah Diviney, in an opinion piece for the Guardian published today, said she was “rendered speechless” when she heard the Beyonce lyric. 

Diviney wrote: “I thought we’d changed the music industry and started a global conversation about why ableist language – intentional or not – has no place in music. But I guess I was wrong.” 

Lizzo’s use of the word had also prompted condemnation from fans and disability advocates. Videos and messages explaining why the term was offensive were widely shared on Twitter and TikTok. 

The artist, who has built a reputation for promoting body positivity and self-love, announced she had removed the lyric in a written public apology.

Beyonce’s eagerly anticipated seventh solo studio album was released on Friday, drawing mainly positive reviews with its nods to disco and electronic dance.

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    Mute Niallers
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:08 AM

    This wont end well. Have they not seen the movie Alien.

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    Mute SFNutters
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:11 AM

    @Niallers: HAL 9000

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    Mute Means of escape
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:46 AM

    @SFNutters: IG-88

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    Mute Edmund Murphy
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:56 AM

    @Means of escape: it looks a lot like the chappiee bot.

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:29 AM

    @Means of escape: or Android (the 1982 film with Klaus Kinsky) or even Saturn 3 (also released in 1982, with Kirk Douglas and Harvey Kitel).

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    Mute Simon O Flaherty
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    Aug 27th 2019, 11:15 AM

    @David Jordan: Prefer the real steel robot/cobot.

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    Mute Karl Cranny
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    Aug 27th 2019, 4:38 PM

    @Niallers: beat me to it :D

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    Mute willow moon
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:24 AM

    Have ye not seen 2001? What could possibly go wrong HAL? ‘I am afraid I can’t tell you, John.’

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    Mute Paraic
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:02 AM

    @willow moon: An interesting fact about HAL in 2001 A Space Oddessy. The acronym HAL is IBM shifted one letter forwards. However this was a complete coincidence. Arthur C Clarke (the author) never knew this until a fan pointed out out years later.

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    Mute SFNutters
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:11 AM

    @Paraic: one letter backwards

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    Mute Paraic
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:21 AM

    @SFNutters: Meant to say: “HAL is IBM WHEN shifted one letter forwards”. Typo.

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    Mute Leroy Brown
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:50 AM

    Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:15 AM

    @Leroy Brown: lol lost in space tv programme

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    Mute Tommy C
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:39 AM

    A robot in space ummm. A Russian robot, christ

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    Mute Kev
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:43 AM

    @Tommy C: it’s a robot.. but its russian… my gawd!

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    Mute Declan O'Neill
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:34 AM

    Ed-209: “Please put down your weapon. You have 20 seconds to comply.”

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    Mute Fergus O'Connor
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    Aug 27th 2019, 9:36 AM

    I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.

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    Mute Hello DAVE!
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:57 AM

    Will he be back?

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    Mute Simon O Flaherty
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    Aug 27th 2019, 8:50 AM

    Really like this cobot as its human mimic controlled. I wonder how big the time delay is and how they plan to overcome this in realtime control.

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    Mute Edmund Murphy
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:00 AM

    @Simon O Flaherty: the minimum lag could be as little as 0.24 second to the ISS but likely longer as the instructions would he complicated. Still basically immediate control. Here is an article I got the answer from https://www.wired.com/2013/02/a-duet-from-space/

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    Mute Simon O Flaherty
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:24 AM

    @Edmund Murphy: Interesting article, thanks.

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    Mute Reuben Gray
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:23 AM

    It’s ok though, battery technology is still too primitive so he will need to be plugged in to the mains. Just unplug it if it misbehaves.
    Once robots have long lasting power sources though, that’s a different story.

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    Mute Oleksandr Savitskyy
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:36 AM

    This robot can’t even stand. If you look at it well it held by 2 ropes.

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    Mute Edmund Murphy
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    Aug 27th 2019, 10:50 AM

    @Oleksandr Savitskyy: it is designed to operate in a zero gravity environment where launch weight is a major issue. I’m surprised they even bothered to give it legs and not a second set of hands. Not being able to stand is no issue.

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    Mute Patrick Agnew
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    Aug 27th 2019, 11:09 AM

    I hope he doesn’t do a Hal 9000 on them!

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