Lizzo lawsuit – latest: Former staff support dancers accusing star of sexual harassment and fat-shaming
Lizzo’s former employees are speaking out in support of three backup dancers who accused the singer of sexual harassment and body shaming in a new lawsuit.
The Grammy winner’s former creative director Quinn Wilson is among three of Lizzo’s ex-colleagues who have praised the plaintiffs for their courage “bringing [the allegations] to light”.
Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison said she declined to direct Lizzo’s 2022 documentary after she was “disrespected” by the “About Damn Time” hitmaker.
According to the legal filing, Lizzo (real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson) allegedly pressured one of her dancers, Arianna Davis, into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club.
It is also alleged that the Grammy winner set up a humiliating 12-hour re-audition for her dancers, and fostered a hostile work environment.
Other allegations against the 35-year-old star, her dance captain Shirlene Quigley, and Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring include assault, racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
Representatives for Lizzo and Quigley didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.
Key Points
Lizzo sued over alleged sexual harassment and hostile work environment by former dancers
Lizzo hits back at people discussing her body on TikTok: ‘I am the beauty standard’
Dancer suing Lizzo suggested in 2021 she felt pressured to pose nude in Big Grrrls reality show
Dancer suing Lizzo suggested in 2021 she felt pressured to pose nude in Big Grrrls reality show
15:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
An episode of Lizzo’s reality series from 2021 shows the singer encouraging dancers to pose nude as part of a challenge on the talent show to become one of her dancers.
The series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, which is available on Prime Video, shows one contestant in particular who is visibly uncomfortable with a naked photo shoot challenge – Arianna Davis. Davis is now one of three dancers suing Lizzo for alleged sexual harassment.
Dancer suing Lizzo said she felt pressured to pose nude on singer’s 2021 reality show
What are the allegations against Lizzo?
14:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers have levelled accusations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct against Lizzo, her production company, and dance captain Shirlene Quigley in a new lawsuit.
The plaintiffs include Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, who filed the paperwork at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday 1 August.
Claims against the singer include that she invited her employees “to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas” at a strip club in Amsterdam.
She is also accused of fat-shaming Davis, who was fired after Lizzo discovered her recording one of their meetings due to a health condition. “Ms Quigley and Lizzo then took turns berating Ms Davis,” the paperwork reportedly read. “After castigating Ms Davis, Lizzo fired Ms Davis on the spot.”
Quigley also allegedly “made comments deriding people who engaged in pre-marital sex, knowing that some members of the dance cast did not share her views”.
‘I was treated with such disrespect’: Filmmaker calls Lizzo out in new post
13:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison has called Lizzo out for treating her “with such disrespect” after the singer’s former dancers accused her of body-shaming and sexual harassment. lawsuit against the singer
“In 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary,” Allison wrote on an Instagram story. “I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her.
“I witnessed how arrogant, self-centred, and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a s***ty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f***ing can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut.”
Did Beyoncé change lyrics on her tour to omit singer’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
11:18 , Maanya Sachdeva
Beyoncé fans have speculated she left out Lizzo’s name during a live performance on Tuesday in light of the recent allegations against her.
Social media users noted Beyoncé altered the lyrics of her song “Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix)” in which she lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.
While performing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night, Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.
Annabel Nugent reports:
Did Beyoncé amend her lyrics to omit Lizzo’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
Ex-employees speak out in support of lawsuit: ‘I grieve parts of my own experience’
10:14 , Maanya Sachdeva
Two of Lizzo’s ex-employees have spoken out in support of the lawsuit filed by three of the singer’s former backing dancers.
In a statement posted on Instagram, dancer Courtney Hollinquest said that although she isn’t a part of the lawsuit, “this was very much my experience” while working with Lizzo.
“Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light,” she wrote.
Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Whitney Wilson re-shared Hollinquest’s Instagram Story, “echoing” what she said.
“I haven’t been apart [sic] of that world for around three years, for a reason,” Wilson shared. “I very much applaud the dancers courage to bring this to light. and I grieve parts of my own experience.”
Another person to have spoken out after the lawsuit is the filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, who also claims to have had a negative experience working with the singer.
Full story here:
Lizzo’s former colleagues share support for accusers in lawsuit
‘About Damn Time’ singer faces allegations of body shaming and sexual harassment in shock filing
09:37 , Maanya Sachdeva
A 44-page lawsuit against Lizzo alleges the singer sexually harassed and body shamed her backup dancers, as the plaintiffs’ attorney said their experiences “seem to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly”.
One of the plaintiffs, Arianna Davis claims Lizzo pressured her to “touch the breasts of one of the nude women” performing at an Amsterdam strip club and allegedly made a thinly-veiled reference to her apparent weight gain.
Lizzo also allegedly forced her dancers to “re-audition for their spots” during a 12-hour “excruciating” process, after becoming convinced they had been drinking the night before shows.
Davis said she soiled herself during the audition because she was fearful of using the bathroom.
Other allegations against her and her production company include racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
Here’s what we know so far:
Lizzo accused of fat-shaming and sexual harassment in lawsuit from former dancers
