Former dancers for rapper Lizzo filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, accusing the former artist of sexual harassment creating a hostile work environment.
The plaintiffs claim Lizzo weight-shamed them and pressured them into sexually explicit actions and conversations while at a strip club, according to NBC News. They allege Lizzo pressured them to touch a nude performer at an Amsterdam club and made false accusations about them drinking on the job. They also accuse Lizzo of berating them, making fun of a dancer’s weight, and firing that dancer over a health condition, according to NBC News.
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The suit names Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and dance captain Shirlene Quigley as defendants, according to NBC. The suit also accused Lizzo of religious and racial harassment, false imprisonment, and interference with prospective economic advantage, among other things, according to the outlet.
“The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing,” said Ron Zambrano, the lawyer for the alleged victims.
The law suit references a trip to Amsterdam strip club “” where the dancers, including Arianna Davis, allege Lizzo “began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas,” according to NBC News.
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“Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.”
Davis reportedly declined repeatedly and was reportedly put in a very awkward position by Lizzo.
“Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed,” the suit noted, according to NBC News. (RELATED: Judge Clears Kevin Spacey Of Sexual Assault Charges In The UK)
The suit notes instances of toxic verbal exchanges by Lizzo, as well as threats of job loss and grueling 12-hour rehearsals that were so intense, a dancer soiled her pants out of fear of using the bathroom, and was then reportedly shamed for the accident she had.
The famous artist is known to routinely advocate for body positivity and equality.
Lizzo has not yet commented on the allegations against her.