Lizzo responds to sexual harassment, weight-shaming claims
"I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be."
Lizzo is addressing shocking claims made against her in a lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers.
The '2 Be Loved (Am I Read)' singer has been accused of sexual harassment, fat-shaming, false imprisonment, disability discrimination, and more.
Lizzo says the last few days have been "gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing". She says the "false allegations" levelled against her are as unbelievable as they sound.
"These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told that their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional," she wrote in a statement shared on her Instagram page.
According to the dancers' lawsuit, the singer forced them to attend a sex show at a club in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.
"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."
One dancer also accused the singer of fat-shaming her after she gained weight. Lizzo denied doing so.
"I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would never and would absolutely never criticize or terminate and employee because of her weight," the 35-year-old said.
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Lizzo says she won't allow people to make her out to be something she is not.
"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."
There were mixed reactions to Lizzo's apology in the comment section of her post.
"Inviting your employees to a strip club is not sexual assault (and is damaging to use this term so freely) and questioning someone’s dedication to their work does not automatically mean body shaming. People are so quick to tear down the hand that feeds them. Secretly recording confidential sessions with your employer is a sackable offence. The language in these articles and allegations is weak at best and I hope both sides to the story are properly acknowledged before people make such solid verdicts," one Instagram user wrote.
Another added: "Some of u need to actually read the court document the things in there are disgusting. Arianna Davis was overworked so hard that she peed herself in front of everyone. Her virginity was continuously spoken about. the poor girl was humiliated and dehumanised beyond belief. If u actually read the document u would see how much victim blaming is in this statement."
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Main image credit: Instagram/@lizzo
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