Lizzo Slams Cancel Culture: 'It's Become Trendy, Misused, And Misdirected'
By Favour Adegoke on January 10, 2023 at 10:00 AM EST
Updated on January 12, 2023 at 10:46 AM EST
Grammy award-winning artist Lizzo is unhappy about the new look of "cancel culture."
Listen to this article:
[audio mp3="https://theblast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-Blast-Lizzo-Slams-Cancel-Culture.mp3"][/audio]Read by: Cameron Thomas
In an impassioned Twitter post, she referred to the term as "appropriation" and stated that it has "become trendy, misused, and misdirected." The singer also shared her desire to see it return to times when it was used by "truly marginalized" people to voice their concerns.
She previously came after body shamers in a TikTok post, saying that artists are not obligated to fit into people's ideal beauty standards. The "Grrls" singer faced social media criticisms after an ableist slur from the song went viral, which she later removed and shared an apology on Twitter.
Read on to learn more.
'Cancel Culture Is Appropriation'
In a Twitter post on January 8, Lizzo shared her thoughts about "cancel culture" and how it is being "misused" in recent times by people who do not understand the initial purpose behind its creation.
"Cancel culture" refers to an act of social or professional rejection that may occur after someone is accused of engaging in damaging behavior or sharing polarizing opinions.
This may be a random time to say this but it’s on my heart.. cancel culture is appropriation.
There was real outrage from truly marginalized people and now it’s become trendy, misused and misdirected.
I hope we can phase out of this & focus our outrage on the real problems.
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) January 8, 2023
"This may be a random time to say this, but it's on my heart, cancel culture is appropriation," the American rapper penned on the social media platform. "There was real outrage from truly marginalized people, and now it's become trendy, misused, and misdirected."
Continuing her post, the "About Damn Time" crooner shared that she hoped things would return to their previous status so that the real purpose behind cancel culture would not become extinct.
Lizzo added, "I hope we can phase out of this [and] focus our outrage on the real problems."
Reactions To Lizzo's Post
Following her post, the comment section was filled with remarks from individuals who also shared the same sentiment as the plus-sized singer.
One user wrote, "Absolutely. There are very real issues that warrant outrage… I sometimes wonder if cancel culture stems from people feeling impotent against those bigger issues, so they go after simpler targets to feel better about themselves, like they did something."
Another person penned, "That's a really great take. I hadn't thought to look at it like that. And it's very, very true. The power has gone out of it, and that's a real loss for marginalized peoples."
One more Twitter user said, "I think that's the point. When something that threatens the power structure starts gaining attention, the oppressor will appropriate and then trivialize it, so it loses its impact."
Lizzo On Body Shaming
A few days ago, Lizzo took to a different social media platform to address negative comments from body shamers about her physical appearance.
"The discourse around bodies is officially tiring," the singer said in a video she posted on Tiktok, per Pop Sugar.
"I have seen comments go from, 'Oh my gosh, I liked you when you were thicc. Why'd you lose weight?,' to 'Oh my gosh, why'd you get a BBL? I liked your body before,' to 'Oh my gosh, you're so big. You need to lose weight — but for your health,': said the singer, who donned a gorgeous bikini in the clip.
After listing the several body shaming comments she has encountered, the singer asserted that "artists" should not be expected to "fit into your beauty standards."
She added, Artists are here to make art, and this body is art. And I'm going to do whatever I want with this body. ….Can we leave that sh*t back there, please?"
Lizzo Previously Came Under Fire
Lizzo has previously drawn criticism for using the term "spaz," which indicates "spastic," and is believed to be a jab at persons who have cerebral palsy.
The singer was criticized on social media for not being attentive to the problems of people with disabilities after using the phrase in her hit song "Grrls" from last year.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, she revealed that her understanding of the phrase differed from its more common meaning.
"It's a word I've heard a lot, especially in rap songs, and with my Black friends and in my Black circles: It means to go off, turn up," she said, per Insider. "I used [it as a] verb, not as a noun or adjective. I used it in the way that it's used in the Black community."
Following the backlash, she took the term out of the song and apologized to her fans in a long Twitter post.