Three former dancers accuse Lizzo, who covered BTS’ “Butter”, of harassment, weight-shaming, and hostile work environment
Lizzo is being accused of creating an unfavorable work environment, sexually harassing, and weight-shaming 3 dancers.
On July 1, The Guardian reported that three female dancers, namely Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, accuse Lizzo of several charges.
In particular, the dancers filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Lizzo, the production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and dance captain Shirlene Quigley for sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment.
The dancers claimed that Lizzo called in strip dancers from the notorious club Bananenbar in Amsterdam, Netherlands, asked them to touch the dancers’ bodies and perform bizarre and perverted sexual acts, and pressured security staff to take the stage while yelling at them to “take it off.”
NBC News reported, “Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.” adding, “Davis declined, and Lizzo allegedly led a chant goading her to do so… When Davis eventually acquiesced and briefly touched the performer, the group burst into laughter.”
After the Amsterdam incident, Lisa invited her dancers to a club a week after, stating that “they would be able to learn something or be inspired by the performance.” Nonetheless, the plaintiffs said, “What Lizzo failed to mention when inviting the dancers to this performance was that it was a nude cabaret bar.”
Lizzo, known as a “body positivity” activist who urges people to love their bodies, also reportedly lashed out at dancers for gaining weight.
The dancers said that Quigley, the dance captain, also preached the Christian faith and demanded conversions, mocked people who had premarital sex, while sharing “lewd sexual fantasies” and “simulating oral sex,” according to NBC.
Currently, Lizzo’s side has not released any statement concerning the controversy.
Lizzo debuted in 2013 and became a world-class pop singer with outstanding singing skills and immense confidence.
In 2019, she was named Time’s “Entertainer of the Year” and won three gold medals at the 2020 “Grammy Awards,” winning “Best Pop Solo Performance,” “Best Traditional R&B Performance,” and “Best Urban Contemporary Album.”
In particular, Lizzo gains love among fans and the public for being confident about her body and shape and sending out messages of self-love and body positivity through her songs.
Source: Insight, The Guardian, NBC News
