Lizzo lawsuit news: Former staff support dancers accusing star of sexual harassment and fat-shaming

Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison has called Lizzo out for treating her “with such disrespect” after the singer’s former dancers accused her of body-shaming and sexual harassment. lawsuit against the singer

“In 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary,” Allison wrote on an Instagram story. “I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her.

“I witnessed how arrogant, self-centred, and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a s***ty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f***ing can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut.”

Beyoncé fans have speculated she left out Lizzo’s name during a live performance on Tuesday in light of the recent allegations against her.

Social media users noted Beyoncé altered the lyrics of her song “Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix)” in which she lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.

While performing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night, Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.

Two of Lizzo’s ex-employees have spoken out in support of the lawsuit filed by three of the singer’s former backing dancers.

In a statement posted on Instagram, dancer Courtney Hollinquest said that although she isn’t a part of the lawsuit, “this was very much my experience” while working with Lizzo.

“Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light,” she wrote.

Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Whitney Wilson re-shared Hollinquest’s Instagram Story, “echoing” what she said.

“I haven’t been apart [sic] of that world for around three years, for a reason,” Wilson shared. “I very much applaud the dancers courage to bring this to light. and I grieve parts of my own experience.”

Another person to have spoken out after the lawsuit is the filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, who also claims to have had a negative experience working with the singer.

A 44-page lawsuit against Lizzo alleges the singer sexually harassed and body shamed her backup dancers, as the plaintiffs’ attorney said their experiences “seem to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly”.

One of the plaintiffs, Arianna Davis claims Lizzo pressured her to “touch the breasts of one of the nude women” performing at an Amsterdam strip club and allegedly made a thinly-veiled reference to her apparent weight gain.

Lizzo also allegedly forced her dancers to “re-audition for their spots” during a 12-hour “excruciating” process, after becoming convinced they had been drinking the night before shows.

Davis said she soiled herself during the audition because she was fearful of using the bathroom.

Other allegations against her and her production company include racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.

Here’s what we know so far: