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“My Soul Is Crushed”: Fans React As Lizzo Accused Of Harassment And Weight-Shaming
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“My Soul Is Crushed”: Fans React As Lizzo Accused Of Harassment And Weight-Shaming

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Lizzo, the Grammy award-winning superstar, is facing a lawsuit from three of her former backup dancers, who allege various claims, such as sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.

On Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles against Lizzo by three of her former dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez. The legal action involves serious allegations of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment.

The lawsuit makes several troubling allegations against Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, involving incidents that allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2023. According to the legal documents, the dancers claim they were “forced to endure sexually denigrating behavior” and “pressured into participating in disturbing sex shows.”

One of the dancers, Arianna Davis, alleges that Lizzo pressured her to touch the breasts of another performer during an Amsterdam nightclub event earlier this year in which the singer allegedly “began inviting cast members to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.” Davis, after resisting, eventually gave in, “fearing it may harm her future on the team.”

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    Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed against Lizzo, where she is accused of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment

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    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    The lawsuit also includes allegations against Lizzo’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley. According to legal documents provided to NBC News by the plaintiffs’ law firm, Quigley is accused of imposing her Christian beliefs on other performers and disparaging individuals who engaged in premarital sex.

    Moreover, it is alleged that Quigley engaged in inappropriate behavior, such as simulating oral sex, sharing lewd sexual fantasies, and discussing a performer’s virginity. These incidents are claimed to have taken place within the context of their work environment.

    The lawsuit does not explicitly state whether Lizzo was aware of Quigley’s alleged behavior. However, the plaintiffs strongly believe that Lizzo might have been aware of the complaints made against the dance captain who has worked with the pop star since 2019.

    “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,” Ron Zambrano, the dancers’ lawyer, said in a statement provided to NBC.

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    The lawsuit makes troubling allegations against the popstar, claiming plaintiffs were “forced to endure sexually denigrating behavior”

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles by three of her former backup dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    According to Arianna Davis, Lizzo allegedly pushed her to touch the breasts of another performer at an Amsterdam nightclub event earlier this year

    Image credits: aridavis5678

    Shortly after a disagreement between Crystal Williams and Lizzo, Williams was fired, with the singer’s team attributing the decision to “budget cuts”

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    Image credits: cryssiedenise

    Noelle Rodriguez decided to resign due to the alleged mistreatment of her fellow colleagues and harassment from Lizzo

    Image credits: freakin_noelle

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    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Lizzo’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, is also part of the suit. She’s being accused of imposing  Christian beliefs on other performers

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly”

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    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Having earned four Grammy awards, Lizzo is widely recognized as an icon of the body-positivity movement

    Image credits: lizzobeeating

    Both Davis and Williams became performers for Lizzo after participating in a dance competition show called “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls,” which Lizzo hosted for Amazon in 2021. In April, Williams raised her voice during a meeting where Lizzo accused dancers of drinking before performances, leading to a tense exchange between them.

    On the previous day, Lizzo informed the dancers that they would need to audition again, resulting in an arduous 12-hour rehearsal, during which Davis, fearing the consequences of taking a bathroom break, had an unfortunate incident where she soiled her pants. Five days later, Williams was fired, with Lizzo’s team citing budget cuts as the reason behind the decision.

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    In April 2023, Lizzo allegedly questioned Davis’s “commitment,” which Davis perceived as a thinly veiled criticism of her weight. Subsequently, the following month, Davis claims she was fired on the spot after Lizzo discovered that she had recorded performance notes. Davis attributes this decision to an eye condition that caused her to feel disoriented in stressful situations.

    The lawsuit does not mention a specific monetary figure sought for damages, which would cover emotional distress, lost wages, and attorneys’ fees.

    Meanwhile, fans of the superstar are holding onto the hope that none of the allegations are true

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    Ignas Vieversys

    Ignas Vieversys

    Writer, Community member

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    Ignas is an editor at Bored Panda with an MA in Magazine Journalism. When he is not writing about video games or hunting for interesting stories, chances are that you will find Ignas at the movies.

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    Ignas Vieversys

    Ignas Vieversys

    Writer, Community member

    Ignas is an editor at Bored Panda with an MA in Magazine Journalism. When he is not writing about video games or hunting for interesting stories, chances are that you will find Ignas at the movies.

    Justinas Keturka

    Justinas Keturka

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

    Read less »

    Justinas Keturka

    Justinas Keturka

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

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    Eightball97
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Would bot surprise me if this is true. When will humans learn that celebrities are fake and no better than any other human. They literally spend a fortune on people who create their image for them 🙄 stop putting people on pedestals it doesn't help anyone.

    Anouk T
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funny and sad at the same time how fans can’t believe this can be true. How can you know if a celebrity is really a ‘sweetheart’ if you never met them or worked with them… Innocent until proven guilty but come on, this is all a show and an act to make money everything could happen

    Monday
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oof this is gonna be a messy one, isn't it? Let's hope people wait for more evidence before starting the witch hunt on either side. Either way though something disgusting happened. Either a performer grossly abused their staff or some a*****e is trying to ruin a performers career with false allegations.

    Mir Adwari
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People should always wait for the information to become clear, rather than leaping on one side or another. Especially when they don't personally know the people involved and are never going to meet them. Seeing them in interviews or on stage doesn't mean you are seeing the real 'them'. We need to stop acting like people who sing, act, dance, play sports etc are special in any other way than just that talent. Being in the public eye doesn't ipso facto make people better than anyone else or worthy of being any kind of role model. They're doing a job that just happens to be one that makes them well-known, nothing more.

    Load More Replies...
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    Eightball97
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Would bot surprise me if this is true. When will humans learn that celebrities are fake and no better than any other human. They literally spend a fortune on people who create their image for them 🙄 stop putting people on pedestals it doesn't help anyone.

    Anouk T
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funny and sad at the same time how fans can’t believe this can be true. How can you know if a celebrity is really a ‘sweetheart’ if you never met them or worked with them… Innocent until proven guilty but come on, this is all a show and an act to make money everything could happen

    Monday
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oof this is gonna be a messy one, isn't it? Let's hope people wait for more evidence before starting the witch hunt on either side. Either way though something disgusting happened. Either a performer grossly abused their staff or some a*****e is trying to ruin a performers career with false allegations.

    Mir Adwari
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People should always wait for the information to become clear, rather than leaping on one side or another. Especially when they don't personally know the people involved and are never going to meet them. Seeing them in interviews or on stage doesn't mean you are seeing the real 'them'. We need to stop acting like people who sing, act, dance, play sports etc are special in any other way than just that talent. Being in the public eye doesn't ipso facto make people better than anyone else or worthy of being any kind of role model. They're doing a job that just happens to be one that makes them well-known, nothing more.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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