How did Lizzo respond to harassment allegations? Singer breaks silence on lawsuit, says she's 'not the villain'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the wake of a civil lawsuit filed against Lizzo by three former backup dancers, the singer whose real name is Melissa Jefferson has broken her silence to address the sexual and racial harassment allegations against her. She was also accused of creating a hostile work environment.
On Tuesday, August 1, a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against the pop singer, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc, and Shirlene Quigley, her dance team captain. The plaintiffs Noelle Rodriguez, Arianna Davis, and Crystal Williams alleged that they were subjected to weight shaming and were forced by Lizzo into touching nude performers at an Amsterdam club, according to CBS News.
Lizzo's response to allegations
In a lengthy statement shared on Instagram on Thursday, August 3, the 35-year-old singer stated that the accusations against her were too outrageous not to address. "These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelming disappointing. My work ethic, morals, and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized," Lizzo's post began.
"Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed," she wrote and added, "These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
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"As an artist, I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day, I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team."
Lizzo says public portray her as the villain
Claiming that the public is trying to portray her as something she is not, Lizzo wrote, "I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not."
In the lawsuit, dance captain Quigley is accused of shaming those crew members who have engaged in premarital sex and sharing explicit details about her sex life with her husband. The performers also alleged the BGBT management racially harassed them and "treated the Black members of the dance team differently than other members."
Lizzo denies body shaming performers
The dancer Davis alleged the pop singer of weight shaming. However, Lizzo denied the accusations as she stated that as someone who is "body shamed on a daily basis," she would "absolutely never criticize" someone else. "There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight," she wrote.
"I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in this world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time," her statement concluded.