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The
lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court named Lizzo, whose
real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, her production company
Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc and the captain of her dance team,
Shirlene Quigley, court documents showed.
A representative for Lizzo did not respond to a request for
comment.
The complaints filed by plaintiffs Arianna Davis, Crystal
Williams and Noelle Rodriguez include harassment based on sex,
religion, race and disability.
In the lawsuit, the dancers claimed they were coerced into
touching nude performers at an Amsterdam strip club in late
February.
The suit also stated that Davis was pressured to participate in
a nude photo shoot to stay in a dance competition despite her
discomfort. She claimed she feared losing her job if she didn't
comply with Lizzo's requests.
“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,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Ron Zambrano,
said in a statement.
The lawsuit alleged that Quigley harassed the dancers by
subjecting them to her religious beliefs against their will.
“Ms. Quigley was not only vocal about her religious belief but
took every opportunity to proselytize to any and all in her
presence regardless of protestations,” the lawsuit stated.
The plaintiffs' claimed that Quigley forced the topic of Davis'
virginity into conversations and interviews and on social media
where she publicly revealed personal details about Davis without
her consent.
Davis and Williams were eventually fired while Rodriguez
resigned over the behavior, the lawsuit said.
(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Mary Milliken and
Cynthia Osterman)
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