Body-positive icon Lizzo accused of sexual harassment and fat-shaming tour dancers in bombshell lawsuit
GRAMMY winner Lizzo is being sued by three of her former dancers over accusations of sexual harassment.
The pop star – who often preaches about body positivity – is also alleged to have shamed one of the dancers for her weight gain before firing her.
The trio also allege Lizzo, 35, pressured them to engage with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam.
The civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court also accuses Lizzo, 35, and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. of creating a hostile work environment.
Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez have made numerous allegations including sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.
The lawsuit claims that after a gig in Amsterdam, Lizzo and her crew went to a sexually themed show at a club in the city’s notorious Red Light District.
It says Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers.
But it is alleged the About Damn Time singer led a chant during the show pressuring Ms Davis to touch the breasts of one of the naked women.
The complaint claims that the chorus became overwhelming and a mortified Ms Davis reluctantly gave in in a bid to end the chants.
Lizzo, who regularly appears to champion body positivity, is also said to have called out Ms Davis for her weight gain and accused of her not being committed to her role.
Ms Davis was fired in May for recording a meeting during which Lizzo had given out notes to dancers about their performances, according to the complaint.
Meanwhile, Lizzo’s dance team captain Shirlene Quigley – who served as a judge on the singer’s reality show Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls – is accused in the lawsuit of pushing her Christian beliefs onto dancers.
The court filing claims Quigley referred to Ms Davis as a “non-believer” and told co-workers that: “No job and no one will stop me from talking about the Lord”.
Earlier this year, Lizzo won the Grammy for Record of the Year for her hit About Damn Time.
A global tour supporting her fourth studio album, 2022’s Special, wrapped up last month.
The legal complaint seeks unspecified damages and names Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known professionally as Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and Shirlene Quigley.
Lizzo’s representatives have been contacted by The Sun for comment.