Grammy-winning artist Lizzo, also known as Melissa Viviane Jefferson, is facing a civil lawsuit brought forth by three former dancers. These dancers have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that Lizzo pressured the dancers to interact with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam. It also alleges that she body-shamed one of the dancers before terminating her employment.
The plaintiffs, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, have made multiple charges including sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment. Apart from Lizzo, Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance team and a judge on her reality show “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls,” has also been named in the court documents. Quigley is accused of imposing her Christian beliefs on the dancers.
The serious allegations of discrimination and harassment have been supported by Lizzo’s former creative director, Quinn Whitney Wilson, and dancer Courtney Hollinquest. Both have publicly endorsed the plaintiffs’ claims.
?DEVELOPING: A lawsuit has been filed against Lizzo in Los Angeles Superior Court by members of her dance crew for sexual harassment and body-shaming that involved allegedly forcing the dancers to eat ‘bananas out of each other vaginas’
Lizzo allegedly “began inviting cast… pic.twitter.com/65neDSkdkV
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) August 1, 2023
Although not directly involved in the lawsuit, dancer Courtney Hollinquest took to her Instagram Story to express her support for the dancers and confirm the alignment of her experience with their accounts. Quinn Whitney Wilson, the former creative director, echoed Hollinquest’s statement, praising the dancers’ courage and sharing her own grief over parts of her past experiences with Lizzo.
The lawsuit alleges that Lizzo engaged in sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment. According to the former dancers, Lizzo pressured and coerced her employees into participating in inappropriate behavior against their will, often in the presence of other employees.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages including unpaid wages, loss of earnings, deferred compensation, employment benefits, emotional distress, medical expenses, and attorneys’ fees. The court proceedings will aim to investigate the allegations and ensure justice is served.
