Lizzo is charged with sexual harassment and body-shaming
Pop diva Lizho is being sued by three former dancers who say, among other things, that she harassed them sexually and fostered a toxic work environment. The case, which was submitted on Tuesday, makes claims of racial, sexual, and religious discrimination as well as assault and wrongful detention. Former dancers Ariana Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noel Rodriguez filed the case. For comments, Lizho and the other defendants have been approached.
Among the claims made in the complaint filed in Los Angeles are that dancers were “coerced into enduring sexually offensive behaviour” and “pressured into participating in explicit sex acts during the tour between 2021 and 2023.” Lizho, whose true name is Melisa Vivian Jefferson, is charged with “groping Ms. Davis at an Amsterdam nightclub,” and Ms. Davis eventually consented “out of fear that it could harm her future in the team” if she did not.
In addition to being accused of weight shaming, Lizho, who is known for promoting body positivity and self-love, is also accused of working with dance choreographer Tanisha Scott. According to the lawsuit, Sushree Davis claims that both people questioned why she “struggled with something as dancers because she seemed less committed to her role.” Although it was never stated clearly, the queries gave Sushree Davis “the impression that she needs to divulge intimate personal details about her life to justify her weight gain and keep her job,” according to the lawsuit.
Sharleen Kwigale, the leader of the dancing squad, has furthermore been charged with discrimination based on race. It claims that she compelled dancers to adhere to her Christian ideals and made fun of those who engaged in premarital sex. One of the three ex-dancers was also charged with discussing their virginity in public and sharing the information online. Additionally charged with racial discrimination is the production business Big Grarl Big Touring, Inc.
According to the claim, black dancers on the squad were treated like they were “lazy, unprofessional, and ill-tempered” – stereotypes frequently used to denigrate and deter black women that were not encountered by other dancers.
Additionally, Wadi claimed that Lizho and the production crew failed to appropriately compensate them throughout Lizho’s European tour. They said that they only received 25% of their weekly additional pay while other dancers received 50%, and that they were also forbidden from working on any other projects while the tour was in progress.
Crystal Williams and Sushree Davis were kicked off the dance team, while Sushree Rodriguez subsequently left after claims of inappropriate behaviour with other team members.
