On Tuesday, three ex-dancers of Lizzo took legal action against the singer, alleging harassment and the establishment of a hostile work environment.
According to reports, a civil suit has been filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, with Lizzo (real name: Melissa Viviane Jefferson), dance team captain (Shirlene Quigley), her production company (Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., and her named as defendants. The lawsuit contains several allegations made by three plaintiffs: Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez and Crystal Williams. The allegations include weight-shaming, sexual harassment, false imprisonment, religious and racial harassment, interference with prospective economic advantage, and more. It's important to note that not every claim was brought against each defendant.
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The complaint alleges that Lizzo was connected to multiple occurrences where her dancers experienced a highly sexualized atmosphere in their workplace. These incidents reportedly involved outings that emphasized nudity and sexuality.
According to the lawsuit, during an alleged outing, Lizzo allegedly pressured one of the dancers to interact with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam. Additionally, the singer, known for promoting body positivity and inclusivity, reportedly expressed "thinly veiled" concerns about one of the plaintiff's weight gain before terminating her employment.
The lawsuit claims that Quigley was fervently promoting Christianity to the dancers, persistently attempting to convert anyone in her presence despite objections, and openly discussing the virginity of one of the plaintiffs.
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Following the revelation of the lawsuit, Quigley took to her Instagram and posted a video expressing her thoughts. In the video, she spoke about her enjoyable experience on tour with Lizzo and emphasized multiple times how grateful she was, attributing her feelings to the benevolence of a higher power, saying, "God is so, so good."
Lizzo's ex-creative director, Quinn Whitney Wilson, and another former dancer, Courtney Hollinquest, have expressed their backing for the lawsuit through social media. Hollinquest stated on her Instagram story that although she is not personally involved in the lawsuit, she can relate to the experiences shared, as they mirror her own time with Lizzo. She commends the dancers' bravery for shedding light on these issues.
Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison took to social media to reveal her past experience of traveling with Lizzo in 2019 for a documentary project. However, she cut short her involvement after just two weeks due to what she described as "disrespectful treatment" from Lizzo.
