JUICE PRESS
How virtue-signalling popstar Lizzo is being sued for ‘FAT shaming dancers and asking them to take part in sex show’
PERFORMING to more than 80,000 screaming fans at Glastonbury this summer, pop star Lizzo’s career was soaring.
But the US singer, who won the adoration of millions of fans off the back of her body- confident image, has had her wings clipped — after a lawsuit saw three of her former dancers level a series of accusations at her, including sexual harassment and fat-shaming.
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Lizzo, real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, also stands accused in the US legal action of “creating a hostile work environment”, sexual, religious and racial harassment and false imprisonment.
The lawsuit filed this week against Lizzo, her dance captain Shirlene Quigley, and her Big Grrrl Big Touring production company, has been brought by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez.
The trio said the incidents took place in the past two years.
Fans of the flute-playing star, who became a global sensation with her 2019 album Cuz I Love You and hits including Truth Hurts, Good As Hell and Special, have responded in tearful disbelief at the allegations levelled against her.
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Beyonce, who Lizzo once described as her “inspiration”, has also been accused of turning her back on the star after appearing to skip Lizzo’s name in part of her song Break My Soul while on stage in Boston just hours after the claims were made public.
In the documents, it is alleged Lizzo — who is held up by her fans as the embodiment of body positivity — called attention to her tour dancers who had gained weight.
‘Illegal and demoralising’
Their lawyer, Ron Zambrano, said: “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 demoralising.”
The claims have left Lizzo’s fans stunned, after the singer used her growing fame to empower women to be more confident in their bodies.
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At packed-out concerts, she tells the crowd: “You are beautiful. You can do anything.”
Arianna and Crystal started performing with Lizzo, 35, after competing on her 2022 Amazon reality show to find her next dancers Watch Out For The Big Grrrls.
Noelle was hired in 2021 after performing in Lizzo’s music video for Rumors.
One of the lawsuit claims is that Lizzo behaved inappropriately after going with her dancers to strip club Bananenbar in Amsterdam this year.
It is claimed Lizzo invited cast members to touch the naked performers, to get involved with performers who were using sex toys as part of the act and to eat fruit out of their genitals.
Arianna claims Lizzo went on to goad her into touching one of the performer’s bare breasts.
The lawsuit continued: “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.”
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Arianna and Crystal also allege they were fired earlier this year on unfair grounds.
Prior to their dismissals, the dance group were told they would have to audition again after Lizzo said she believed some of them had been drinking.
Arianna described it as an “excruciating” 12-hour rehearsal and said she soiled herself as she was fearful she would lose her job if she went to the toilet.
When the issue of drinking was raised by Lizzo the following day, Crystal spoke out to deny it and said she was fired five days later.
Arianna then recorded a meeting and after Lizzo found out, claims she was verbally abused and fired.
Legal documents said: “Lizzo became furious, hurling expletives at the group and stated that she was going to go around the room, person-by-person until someone told Lizzo who made the recording.”
After Arianna said it was her, the statement continued: “Ms. Quigley and Lizzo then took turns berating Ms. Davis,” and “fired Ms. Davis”.
During the meeting it was alleged Lizzo was “cracking her knuckles and balling her fists”.
Noelle went on to say she felt “disrespected” and would resign. She went on to quit, with Lizzo accused of showing Noelle her two middle fingers and shouting a slur at her.
Part of the lawsuit also includes a claim of false imprisonment, after Arianna alleged one of Lizzo’s security team forced her to remain in the room after the meeting to search her phone for the recording of Lizzo.
Dance captain Shirlene Quigley is also accused of religious harassment against Arianna who said she was “pressured” when Quigley deemed her a “non-believer”.
After the lawsuit was made public, two more women have claimed they experienced similar treatment.
Courtney Hollinquest, who worked with Lizzo as a dancer, shared her feelings on social media and said: “I’m not a part of the lawsuit — but this was very much my experience in my time there.”
Quinn Wilson, who worked as Lizzo’s creative director, shared the story and added: “I haven’t been a part of that world for around three years for a reason.
“I very much applaud the dancers’ courage to bring this to light.”
Sophia Nahli Allison, who worked with Lizzo for a brief time in 2019 on her 2022 documentary Love, Lizzo also made claims.
She posted on Instagram: “I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about two weeks.
“I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how self-centred, arrogant and unkind she is.”
She added: “I felt gas-lit and was deeply hurt, but I’ve healed.
“Reading these reports made me realise how dangerous a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often.”
Lizzo, Shirlene and Big Grrrl Big Touring have not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit or the claims. Lizzo’s loyal fan base, however, have been vocal in their horror with many sharing their disbelief on social media.
Her posts on Instagram have been flooded with comments from her 13.5million followers, with many begging her to speak out.
‘Disgusting hypocrisy’
Fan Rebecca Paige wrote: “I am so incredibly disappointed. I just stopped someone the other day wearing a Special tour shirt so we could talk about “praying at the church of Lizzo”.
“But I’ve been following the girls leaving for months, picking up the subtle things that have been put down.
"That you’ve been preaching love and self-care and taking care of each other and boundaries and living none of it is such disgusting hypocrisy.
“I never expected you to be perfect, but I thought you were good.”
Another of Lizzo’s followers, Natalie, posted: “Please tell me what’s being said isn’t true.
“You really inspired me to love myself and to take care of myself and now I’m reading that everything is just a show and that there’s nothing behind what you preach.
“I’m just really disappointed. I knew you weren’t perfect because no one is . . . but damn this really hurts.”
Follower Trey added: “Girl, you made me and other plus-sized ladies feel comfortable.
“You were living your true authentic self and showing us we can do that too.
“But you don’t actually think we could or should live authentically cause you’d just body shame us too.
“Extremely disheartening and immensely disappointing.”
Lizzo has previously spoken about her struggle with body dysmorphia and said she wanted to use her public platform to help others recognise their own inner beauty.
She told Vogue in May 2019: “I didn’t have enough women to look up to and they were not given enough space in the industry to carve out a lane for big girls that are brown and black and want to sing and dance without getting s**t- talked and body-shamed.
“I’m out here and I set my mind to it. I want to be a sex symbol and music goddess and I’m out here trying to make that happen for myself.
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“I’m here for the fantasy but I want to be a part of that fantasy. I’m just as fine as those girls.”
Whether Lizzo will contest the claims is still to be seen, but if the reaction of her fans is anything to go by, she will have a mountain to climb to get them back on side.
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WE MAKE MISTAKES
By Ellie Henman
I TOO pledged my devotion to the church of Lizzo. Her lyrics had me hooked from her first album in 2013.
Fat or thin, old and young – Lizzo’s songs meant something to everybody. Reading the lawsuit, I felt gobsmacked. And torn.
Do I think the lines in her songs are all fake? No.
But she has allegedly let herself down. All of us have made mistakes. What matters is how we move forward.
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