Hold Me Back--

Good Saturday, Lovelies! It's taken me a while to settle on a topic for this entry; there is so much out there I could comment on. so many things I could raise an opinion on. Life charges forward irrespective of how prepared we are. This entry is a bit longer than the last few; keep reading! I worked really hard on it for you:) I realized something about one aspect of life affecting another, and I have a lot to say about it. There is a song from 2015 called "Four Five Seconds" by the artist Rhianna, with featured guest singers Kanye West and Paul McCartney. I found a surprisingly detailed description on Wikipedia, which also listed a number of males as having contributed to the writing of the song. Wikipedia says: ""FourFiveSeconds" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, American rapper Kanye West, and English musician Paul McCartney. It was written and produced by McCartney, Kanye West, Mike Dean, Dave Longstreth and Noah Goldstein with additional writing from Kirby Lauryen, Ty Dolla Sign, Dallas Austin, Elon Rutberg and Rihanna." My first issue is the Ableist use of the word "spaz". For those unfamiliar with Ablist slurs, "spaz" is short for spastic, in which Cerebral Palsy patients and those with similar challenges are unable to control muscle movements. It makes the Disabled "other" and subtly implies that doing so is acceptible, so I can see how some would find its use in entertainment offensive. Which brings me to my second point, which is that no one demanded the word "spaz" be removed from "Four Five Seconds." So even if the performers could be forgiven for using derogatory language about the Disabled, which in my opinion they should not have been, how can West be forgiven for using the exact same offensive language as a young woman, while SHE had to go onto online news and television to explain herself? Below, is "Four Five Seconds" with the lyrics so you'll notice where West, sings "hold me back I'm 'bout to spaz." Now, a few yewars ago no one said anything and nobody made a big deal out of it. Perhaps, I imagine, because West is male. Here is the lyric version of said recording: In 2022 the female artist Lizzo released an album with the song she herself wrote; "Grrrls", in which she also originally used the word "spaz". Sigh...it's not surprising to me that people these days felt the need to "educate" Lizzo, where as West was left alone Noting that West and Lizzo share a race, maybe this is just an element of their cultural expression, and there's nothing unusual or intentionally hurtful about it? Either way, Lizzo was confronted with the Internet's outrage, demanding she change her offensive tone. AND SHE DID!!!! Below is the amended version, with the lyrics so we can all admire this young woman's poise. This lady commented to reporters at the time: “It’s been brought to my attention that there is a harmful word in my new song “GRRRLS.” Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language,” Lizzo wrote in a statement. “As a fat Black woman in America, I’ve had many hateful words used against me so I understand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case unintentionally)." So well done, Lizzo for righting wrongful word usage, aknowledging that she herself has faced challenges relating to aspects of her own identity. Some of us would do anything to keep others from suffering like we have, like Lizzo:) Others, like those in 2015's America who were either too afraid of the consequences or too ignorant of their offence, allow misrepresentation to run unchecked. On behalf of women and my dear community of the Disabled in this country...I'm four, five seconds from wildin'.