American pop star Lizzo changed a lyric to her song Grrrls after an Australian fan complained that a word used in it was an ableist slur.
Hannah Diviney, who lives with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, contacted Lizzo on Twitter to say that the word used in the song made her feel "pretty angry [and] sad".
"It's an ableist slur," she wrote.
"It's 2022. Do better."
Lizzo did.
The 34-year-old from Detroit, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, released a new version of the song on Monday night and apologised to fans via Instagram.
"It's been brought to my attention that there is a harmful word in my new song GRRRLS," she wrote.
"Let me make one thing clear: I never want to promote derogatory language."
Lizzo wrote that she was "proud" to release a new version of the track with the offensive word replaced.
"As a fat black woman in America … I can understand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally)," she wrote.
"This is the result of me listening and taking action.
Diviney said she was "blown away" by Lizzo's swift response.
"I couldn't have imagined that she would react that positively," Ms Diviney told Sammy J on ABC Radio Melbourne.
"I was expecting that if we got a response at all it would be one of defensiveness or doubling down, not because I think that's how Lizzo operates, just because that's the norm for public figures.
Ms Diviney said when she initially heard the song she was "confused" but said she has since learned that the term is not considered a slur in the United States.
"For me and for so many others, we've known for a long time that that word is not one that you use," Ms Diviney said.
"One thing that I've learned since calling Lizzo out for it is that it's not as commonly known as a slur in the United States, which sort of blows my mind as well."
Ms Diviney said Lizzo had proven herself to be a genuine ally by owning her mistake and quickly rectifying it.
"She listened, she didn't try to defend it, she didn't try to justify it.
"From what I can tell, she just wanted everyone to feel safe and loved by this song.
"She's shown that she's a real and genuine ally."
