Lizzo responds to sexual harassment lawsuit: “I’m hurt”

nme.com:

Lizzo has issued a statement after being accused of engaging in sexual harassment and creating a hostile working environment among other allegations.The ‘Special’ pop star is being sued by three of her former backup dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez – in a lawsuit that names Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., and her dance team captain Shirlene Quigley as defendants.It is said that all three of the aforementioned performers named in the suit danced for Lizzo until earlier this year, when Davis and Williams were fired before Rodriguez resigned shortly afterwards.Davis and Williams both competed on the reality TV show Watch Out For The Big Grrrls to win the chance to join the singer/rapper’s troupe of backing dancers.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, began dancing with Lizzo after appearing in the ‘Rumors’ music video.The alleged incident of sexual harassment supposedly took place in a strip club in Amsterdam, which Lizzo and her dancers visited after a concert in the Dutch capital this February.

The dancers allege that Lizzo bullied Davis into touching a nude performer, to the point where she led a chant goading her into doing so until she eventually gave in, despite declining multiple times.Additionally, the suit states that Lizzo “began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas”.

It continues: “Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.”Elsewhere, the three dancers accuse Lizzo of subjecting the group to an “excruciating” audition, following 12 hours of rehearsal.