In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday (August 1), three former dancers for Lizzo have accused the singer of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, according to a report. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, also alleges that the artist called attention to the weight gain of a dancer, who was later fired, according to the report.
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Accusations against Lizzo’s dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley, also span proselytizing plaintiffs, sharing sexual fantasies, simulating oral sex, publicly speaking about one dancer’s virginity, and ridiculing those who had premarital sex.
The dancers also allege that Lizzo pressured one of them to touch a nude performer at Bananenbar, a strip club in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Lizzo also allegedly pressured a member of her security to get on stage and yelled, “Take it off,” according to the suit. “Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her,” according to the suit, “especially in the presence of many people whom she employed.”
Defendants named in the suit, include Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and Quigley. Other claims in the lawsuit cross of racial and religious harassment, false imprisonment, and more, though each claim was not brought against every defendant listed.
“The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly,” said Ron Zambrano, lawyer for the plaintiffs, in a statement, “while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.”
Dancer Arianna Davis alleges that Lizzo and a choreographer called attention to her weight gain during an appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and said that she seemed “less committed” to her job. Davis, along with dancer Crystal Williams, was later fired. The two dancers started working with Lizzo after competing on the artist’s 2021 Amazon reality series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.
Another dancer, Noelle Rodriguez, who is also featured in Lizzo’s video for her 2021 song “Rumors,” reportedly resigned in early 2023.
American Songwriter reached out to Lizzo’s representatives for comment.
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