Lizzo denies harassment allegations including weight-shaming
NEW YORK
Lizzo on Aug. 3 hit back at allegations she weight-shamed her staff, calling the accusations in a lawsuit leveled by former dancers "as unbelievable as they sound."
Three of the pop star's former dancers filed the suit in Los Angeles, with accusations of labor law violations including descriptions of what their lawyers deem shaming and sexual harassment.
One of the allegations centers around an Amsterdam red-light district sex show which the dancers say they felt pressured to attend. At the show Lizzo pressured her dancers to interact with the nude performers, the suit alleges.
It also alleges that Lizzo's dance leader, Shirlene Quigley, frequently made sexual comments and proselytized her Christian beliefs, especially against pre-marital sex, "regardless of protestations."
"Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed," Lizzo posted on social media.
"These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
The lawsuit alleges that white managers from Lizzo's production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT), which was also named in the complaint, "often accused the Black members of the dance team of being lazy, unprofessional, and having bad attitudes."
