United States: Popular American musician Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known as Lizzo, is facing accusations from her former tour dancers of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment between 2021 and 2023.
The lawsuit, filed on 1st August 2023, includes accusations of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment. As per the statement, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez are the former dancers bringing the lawsuit. Davis and Williams were fired from the dance team, and Rodriguez later resigned due to their colleagues’ alleged mistreatment.
The dancers also reportedly allege that the musician criticised a dancer’s recent weight gain and later berated and fired that dancer for recording a meeting. According to the lawsuit, Lizzo allegedly pressured one dancer to touch a nude performer at a club in Amsterdam and subjected several dancers to an “excruciating” 12-hour audition after making false accusations that they drank while working.
Davis alleges the two questioned whether she was “struggling with something as she seemed less committed to her role on the dance cast,” as the lawsuit cited.
Lizzo’s Production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.’s management team, is also facing accusations of racial discrimination. According to the lawsuit, black dance troupe members at Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. have alleged that they were “treated differently” compared to other team members. The accusations state they were unfairly labelled as “lazy, unprofessional, and having bad attitudes.” The lawsuit further contends that such stereotypes commonly disparage and discourage black women, while other dancers did not face similar treatment.
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