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Sunday December 22, 2024

Lizzo gets support from 18 tour staffers against harassment lawsuit

Grammy Winner, Lizzo faced sexual harassment lawsuit from three of her ex-dancers

By Web Desk
October 28, 2023
Lizzo gets support from 18 tour staffers against harassment lawsuit
Lizzo gets support from 18 tour staffers against harassment lawsuit

Lizzo finally got someone on her side to back her up.

The artist and her legal team got signed declarations from 18 of her staffers that refute the claims made by three of her ex-dancers in a sexual harassment lawsuit, as per Page Six.

According to court documents obtained exclusively by us from the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, dancers, choreographers, and musicians who have worked with Lizzo's touring company claim they never experienced or witnessed body-shaming, racism, or other forms of harassment during their time with the pop star.

In the original lawsuit, Arianna Davis claimed that the Juice singer criticized her weight gain despite the fact that she admitted to management that she suffers from binge eating, depression, and anxiety.

However, statement from dancer Melissa Locke falls hugely in favour of Lizzo.

“Having worked with Lizzo for years, it is my personal belief that Lizzo would never body shame anyone, including Davis, or comment on her weight in a negative and hurtful manner,” Locke claims.

In her declaration, Jayla Sullivan, a dancer and contestant on "Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls," adds that she "never observed" Lizzo insulting Davis or co-plaintiff Crystal Williams.

“Lizzo inspired all of us to celebrate and love ourselves and our bodies as we are,” she said.

In her statement, Asia Banks, who labels herself as the "biggest dancer on tour" in the file, says, "Lizzo assembled an entire group of plus-size dancers to showcase our talent and celebrate us."

The fresh documents also refute the plaintiffs' recollections of a team outing at Amsterdam's Bananenbar, an adult entertainment club where the ex-dancers claimed they were forced to engage in inappropriate sexual conduct.

As per the original lawsuit, Lizzo is accused of pressurizing the dancers to take turns “touching nude performers, [catch] d*ldos launched from the performers’ vag*nas and [eat] bananas protruding from the performers’ vag*nas.”

But the tour drummer Michel’le Baptiste refutes every claim in her declaration, and further claims that she saw Davis “not look[ing] uncomfortable.”

“She was having a great time, just like we all were,” the musician further adds.

Several Lizzo employees also denied being "pressured" to attend the scandalous events.