On Tuesday, according to a filed case, three dancers accused Lizzo, the singer, of sexual harassment and creating a hostile environment through sexual, racial, and religious harassment between 2021 and 2023.
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Shocking Revelations: Lizzo’s Alleged Behavior Contradicts Her Public Persona of Body Positivity
In a shocking revelation, the dancers came forward with claims that Lizzo, renowned for promoting body positivity and self-empowerment, berated a fellow performer over their recent weight gain and subsequently admonished them during a recording session.
The case was filed in Los Angeles, and NBC News reported it for the first time. She allegedly pressured a nude performer in an Amsterdam club and made false allegations, subjecting several dancers to a grueling 12-hour audition. She was also reported drinking while working.
Additionally, the case accuses Lizzo’s dance captain, Sharlene Quigley, of imposing her Christian beliefs on other performers and defaming those who had premarital sexual relationships, mimicking oral sex, sharing explicit sexual fantasies, and discussing a performer’s virginity.
It is not mentioned in the case whether She was aware of Quigley’s alleged behavior, but the dancers Aeryanna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noel Rodriguez claimed that she was informed of the complaints against Quigley, as stated by their lawyer, Ron Zambreno, to NBC News.
Within the legal action, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, widely known as Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and Quigley, have been directly accused of engaging in sexual harassment, fostering a hostile work environment, and committing wrongful conduct. termination, and potential economic damages. Each defendant has not responded to every claim.
Zambreno said, “The way Lizzo and her management team treated their dancers is against every principle Lizzo publicly stands for. While publicly preaching self-love, privately, she would demean her dancers and subject them to not only illegal but emotionally damaging conduct.”
Lizzo’s representatives could not be reached for comment.
The case also details an incident at an Amsterdam club earlier this year where a singer allegedly “began grabbing nude performers, catching dildos from performers’ vaginas, and inviting performers to eat peeled bananas” according to the suit. Lizzo allegedly pressured Davis to touch a performer’s nude breasts and taunted her when she refused.
Five days later, in a decision that Lizzo’s team attributed to budget cuts, Williams was dismissed from the group.
In an incident during April 2023, Davis asserts that She made a comment about her “dedication,” a statement Davis interpreted as a masked reference to her body weight. She alleges that when the singer learned that she had recorded rehearsal notes, she was fired the next month, which Davis attributes to the strain it caused on her eyes, resulting in tense situations.
Rodriguez, on the other hand, says he quit his job in response to his colleagues’ behavior and Quigley’s deep religious conversion, which management did not address.
When Rodriguez raised the issue of Williams and Davis’ dismissal, he claims that he was fired by saying, “We’ve never had a problem with you.” The case does not specify a dollar amount for emotional distress, lost wages, and attorneys’ fees.
Meanwhile, during most of 2023, Lizzo has been on tour across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. She recently completed her Australian leg of the tour, which The Guardian described as “spectacular, joyous fun.”