Lizzo, touring company, and dance captain face serious allegations

Renzo Fuentes

August 2, 2023

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  Photo: PAPER Magazine

  Three former dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez filed a complaint against pop star Lizzo (Melissa Viviane Jefferson), her company Big Grrrl Big Touring (BGBT), Inc., and dance captain Shirlene Quigley.

  Three of the plaintiffs brought forward severe allegations of sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and engaging in various forms of legal misconduct – including racial and religious discrimination.

  The legal complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court outlines a particularly vivid allegation stating that Lizzo insisted the dancers attend a sex show in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Lizzo was said to have pressured the dancers to interact with the performers during the live sex show, by inviting cast members to participate in explicit activities involving the nude performers.

  More so, the lawsuit describes a range of troubling actions that the dancers endured during their time working for Lizzo, painting a distressing picture of their experiences while on tour with her and her company: Firstly, the complaint adds Lizzo’s alleged weight-shaming of a dancer after accusing her of lacking commitment to her role, which is particularly concerning given Lizzo’s public stance on body positivity. Additionally, Quigley is charged with forcing her religious beliefs on the plaintiffs – making inappropriate comments about their sexual virginity and simulating oral sex on a banana in front of them.

  To supplement the complaint, a former dancer (who is not part of filing the very case) took to Instagram with her sentiments about the issue:

  

  Photo: @cquestt via Instagram Stories

  The dancers’ attorney, Ron Zambrano, emphasized the contradiction between Lizzo’s public image as a body-positive advocate and the alleged mistreatment of her dancers, describing the actions as not only “illegal but also demoralizing.”

  As of the time of the filing, Lizzo and Quigley’s representatives had not provided any comment in response to the lawsuit.

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