Lizzo sued by dancers over claims of sexual harassment
Three former backup dancers for pop superstar Lizzo have sued the singer over claims of sexual harassment. They also allege she created a toxic work environment.
In the case, Lizzo, her dance captain Shirlene Quigley, and Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc have been listed as the defendants. Meanwhile, the dancers who have lodged the case are Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez.
Davis and Williams first began working for Lizzo after successfully competing on her reality show Watch Out For The Big Grrrls. They lost their roles earlier this year. Rodriguez has worked for the singer since appearing in the video for ‘Rumors’, but resigned after the other two girls were released.
They allege that during the Amsterdam leg of the tour earlier this year, Lizzo bullied Davis into touching a naked performer against her will. The suit says the musician “began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”
It also claims: “Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.”
The suit states: “Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed.
Through their lawyer, Ron Zambrano, the three dancers said in a statement provided to NBC: “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.”
Lizzo is yet to make a public statement on the lawsuit.
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