Three former backup dancers filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against singer Lizzo, accusing her and her dance captain of subjecting them to a toxic work environment that included racially-biased taunts and “debauchery,” CBS News reported.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, named as defendants Lizzo’s Big Grrrl Big Touring company and dance team captain Shirlene Quigley.
The plaintiffs, dancers Ariana Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, claim that they were subjected to taunts of being “snarky” and “lazy,” and also accuse the Grammy-winning singer of assault, false imprisonment, and disability discrimination.
In a statement on Tuesday, the dancers’ attorney Ron Zambrano accused Lizzo and her management team of “stunning” hypocrisy, claiming that despite the singer’s public positions, in private, she weight-shamed and demeaned her dancers “in ways that are not only illegal” but “demoralizing.”
The three women, who joined Lizzo’s dance team in 2021, also claim that the singer and dance captain Shirlene Quigley pressured them to engage with nude performers in Amsterman’s red light district during Lizzo’s international tour earlier this year, according to the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, the dancers claim that the work environment was hostile and “overtly sexual,” alleging that Lizzo’s abusive behavior cause “emotional distress.”
According to Ron Zambrano, Ariana Davis and Crystal Williams were both fired from Lizzo’s dance team while Noelle Rodriguez resigned.
Lizzo’s company claims that the dancers were fired for drinking before shows, however, the dancers say that this was untrue.
Ariana Davis told CBS News on Wednesday that alcohol was not permitted in the dressing room or “on our rider,” adding that it would have been “physically impossible” for them to drink before shows.
The dancers also allege in their lawsuit that dance team captain Quigley insisted on “sharing her faith in the workplace” and frequently criticized the dancers who didn’t share her faith.
