Ella May Ding is being called out after using an ableist slur in an Instagram story

Ella May Ding is being called out by her fans for using an ableist slur in an Instagram story. The former Married at First Sight Australia bride posted a video to her Instagram story last night in which she used the ‘S’ slur when describing her cats.

In the video she was talking about UTIs and taking antibiotics before panning to her cats and describing them as “sp*stics”, a derogatory term used against people with a disability.

The term was originally used to describe cerebral palsy, but it has since become used as a word to imply stupidity and is colloquially referred to as “sp*z”.

“On another note, my cats are now being sp*stics and I’m just waiting for Normi and we’re going to have some Pho and I’m going to get off my phone,” she said in the video.

Fans were left unimpressed by her use of the word and shared their thoughts in a So Dramatic comment section, who had posted the video.

“I like Ella but I hate hearing that word and the ‘R’ word. In 2023, it should be well known that saying those two words are not going to be appreciated by most people,” one user wrote.

However, some people took the time to defend Ella, saying she probably had “no idea” the word was not okay to say. “Am I the only one who had no idea that this was offensive? Poor Ella probably is the same,” one wrote, with another writing: “Oh for god sake leave her alone! Everyone thinks they are so perfect and so easily offended.”

Just last year, popstar Lizzo was called out after she used the word “sp*z” in one of her songs, which she has since removed.

At the time disabled activist Shelby, told The Tab: “A lot of us grew up being bullied with this word in school and it has caused trauma and been abusive for years.”

Another activist, Callum Stephen, said although the full word has medical connotations, “decades ago it was hijacked and used to create the abbreviation ‘sp*z’, which to this day is used to mock people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.”

The Tab has contacted Ella’s representatives for comment.

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Featured image credit via Instagram @ellamayding.