Lizzo has recently faced a number of allegations that include sexual harassment and examples of “fatphobia.” The allegations came after several of her former backup dancers filed a lawsuit. Now Lizzo is speaking out to deny these claims.
A statement was released by Lizzo to address the allegations. She notes that they are “unbelievable” and “outrageous” and to such an extent that she had no choice but to respond.
Here’s what the popular musician shared regarding the accusations of sexual harassment and “fatphobia” against her dancers:
“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
She continues to call the former dancers “inappropriate and unprofessional” in her statement:
“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,” Lizzo insists.
Lizzo further emphasizes how passionate she is about her work and that she never wants to make her collaborators uncomfortable. And, while she doesn’t claim herself to be a victim, she doesn’t believe she’s a villain either.
“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.
“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,” she added.
“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. 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.”
Lastly, Lizzo concludes by saying that she will not allow these allegations of harassment to overshadow her work:
“I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time,” she finished.
Plenty of fans were supportive of Lizzo and her statement. However, a response was released by Ron Zambrano, the attorney representing her former dancers. He shared the following:
“Lizzo has failed her own brand and has let down her fans. Her denial of this reprehensible behavior only adds to our clients’ emotional distress. The dismissive comments and utter lack of empathy are quite telling about her character and only serve to minimize the trauma she has caused the plaintiffs and other employees who have now come forward sharing their own negative experiences.”
“While Lizzo notes it was never her intention ‘to make anyone feel uncomfortable,’ that is exactly what she did to the point of demoralizing her dancers and flagrantly violating the law.”
The suit filed by three of Lizzo’s former dancers claims that they were subjected to “sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, among other things.” As such, we’ll have to see how this situation continues. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates as we have them.