LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Lizzo’s backup dancers, the “Big Grrl” and “Big Boiii” groups, have shared their support for the “About Damn Time” singer in an open letter.
The letter of support comes as former backup dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez filed suit and are suing Lizzo for sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. All three worked for Lizzo until earlier this year when Davis and Williams were fired and Rodriguez resigned. Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., and her dance team captain Shirlene Quigley were also defendants.
The allegations surfaced in early August, alleging Lizzo was body shaming an employee and then firing them, among other claims. The former dancers accuse Lizzo of “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” in an Amsterdam nightclub.
“Big Grrl” and “Big Boiii”s shared their support for the flutist on Instagram (IG), posted Friday (18 August). “We had the time of our lives on The Special Tour. We have been so honored to share the stage with such amazing talent,” the open letter reads via The Line Of Best Fit.
“The commitment to character and culture taking precedence over every movement and moment has been one of the Greatest lessons and Blessings that we could possibly ask for.”
The open letter continued by showering Lizzo with praise for “shattering limitations and kicking in the doorway for the Big Grrrl & Big Boiii Dancers to do what we love,” the statement added. “You have given us a platform where we have been able to parallel our Passion with a purpose! Not only for Us but for Women and All people breaking barriers.” You can read the open letter below.
Responding to the allegations, Lizzo hired lawyer Marty Singer, who has worked on recent cases against Jonah Hill, Bil Cosby and Johnny Depp. She also posted a statement on her social media.
“Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations, but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. 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.
“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.”
In addition, the lawyer Ron Zambrano representing the three former dancers suing Lizzo, has said his firm is reviewing at least six new complaints about the singer. Zambrano told NBC News the new allegations detail a “sexually charged environment” and failure to pay employees.
Zambrano also claimed that Lizzo once called out a dancer’s weight at South By Southwest during a post-show meeting and told them it was “normal” for dancers to be “fired when they get fat.”
Williams and Rodriguez later said in an interview with Sky News that they tried to “settle” the disagreement “in-house” before filing a lawsuit but claim they were met with a “rebuttal” from Lizzo’s team.
Lizzo’s former dancers, Nicole Rodriguez and Crystal Williams, explain why they have gone public with their accusations.
They said they had “tried to settle this in-house” but were met with “rebuttal.”https://t.co/ysfCBeyAJO
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