Pop star Lizzo is celebrating a legal victory after a judge dismissed allegations of fat-shaming from a 2023 lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers. The singer, whose hits include body positive anthems such as 'Good As Hell' and 'Juice', marked the development with a video statement posted to her Instagram and TikTok feeds.
There was no evidence that I fired them because they gained weight, Lizzo said. They were fired for taking a private recording of me without my consent and sending it off to ex-employees.
While those specific allegations have been dropped, the case against Lizzo and her production company will continue, over claims that three dancers were subject to sexual harassment.
Lizzo's team has called the lawsuit a fabricated sob story, but a Los Angeles judge ruled that the case could move forward last year. Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez say they were pressured into attending sex shows and interacting with nude performers between 2021 and 2023. The claims include that Lizzo pressured Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of a dancer in a nightclub in Amsterdam.
Although she initially resisted, Ms. Davis eventually acquiesced, fearing it may harm her future on the team if she didn't. Other incidents cited in the case include the dancers being asked to eat fruit from the naked bodies of sex club workers.
In response to these claims, Lizzo's lawyers appealed the decision to let the claims go to trial, arguing that group outings were part of the singer's creative process and thus should be protected under the First Amendment. However, a lawyer for the dancers rejected that claim, insisting that the nature of the events was not justifiable as inspiration for performances.
Lizzo's attorney, Melissa Glass, stated that the dancers cannot find corroborating evidence for their claims, while 18 witnesses submitted statements refuting the allegations. Lizzo has denied all allegations against her, insisting she has only encouraged and supported people with larger bodies throughout her career.
In her latest statement, Lizzo emphasized that the fat-shaming allegations had haunted her for the last two years and that she intends to keep fighting the lawsuit. I am not settling, she affirmed, I will be fighting every single claim until the truth is out.\
There was no evidence that I fired them because they gained weight, Lizzo said. They were fired for taking a private recording of me without my consent and sending it off to ex-employees.
While those specific allegations have been dropped, the case against Lizzo and her production company will continue, over claims that three dancers were subject to sexual harassment.
Lizzo's team has called the lawsuit a fabricated sob story, but a Los Angeles judge ruled that the case could move forward last year. Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez say they were pressured into attending sex shows and interacting with nude performers between 2021 and 2023. The claims include that Lizzo pressured Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of a dancer in a nightclub in Amsterdam.
Although she initially resisted, Ms. Davis eventually acquiesced, fearing it may harm her future on the team if she didn't. Other incidents cited in the case include the dancers being asked to eat fruit from the naked bodies of sex club workers.
In response to these claims, Lizzo's lawyers appealed the decision to let the claims go to trial, arguing that group outings were part of the singer's creative process and thus should be protected under the First Amendment. However, a lawyer for the dancers rejected that claim, insisting that the nature of the events was not justifiable as inspiration for performances.
Lizzo's attorney, Melissa Glass, stated that the dancers cannot find corroborating evidence for their claims, while 18 witnesses submitted statements refuting the allegations. Lizzo has denied all allegations against her, insisting she has only encouraged and supported people with larger bodies throughout her career.
In her latest statement, Lizzo emphasized that the fat-shaming allegations had haunted her for the last two years and that she intends to keep fighting the lawsuit. I am not settling, she affirmed, I will be fighting every single claim until the truth is out.\
