Grammy-Winning Artists Embroiled in Controversy as Former Dancers Share Their Stories
Grammy-winning artist Lizzo, whose birth name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, finds herself embroiled in a civil lawsuit filed by three former dancers, who have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that Lizzo exerted pressure on the dancers to interact with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam and body-shamed one before terminating her employment.
The plaintiffs, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, have leveled various charges encompassing sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment. In addition to 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,” was also named in the court documents, accused of imposing her Christian beliefs on the dancers.
The shocking claims of discrimination and harassment have now been corroborated by Lizzo’s former creative director, Quinn Whitney Wilson, and dancer Courtney Hollinquest, who have publicly supported the plaintiffs’ allegations.
🔥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, Hollinquest took to her Instagram Story to express that her experience at the time aligns with the dancers’ accounts, praising their courage for bringing the issue to light. Echoing Hollinquest’s statement, Wilson shared her appreciation for the dancers’ bravery and acknowledged her grief over parts of her past experiences with Lizzo.
The serious allegations against Lizzo encompass sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment, as detailed by her former dancers. The lawsuit paints a harrowing picture of Lizzo allegedly pressuring and badgering her employees into engaging in inappropriate behavior against their will, often in front of other employees.
The three 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 delve into the allegations, aiming to bring clarity to the situation and ensure justice is served.
