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Lizzo has spoken out after a judge dismissed allegations of fat-shaming brought against her in a 2023 lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers.
Dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez accused Lizzo and her production company of sexual harassment, fat-shaming and creating a hostile work environment.
The “About Damn Time” singer, 37, shared a video to TikTok and Instagram on Monday addressing the update in a statement.
“The fat-shaming claims against me have been officially dropped by my accusers,” the statement began. “They conceded it had no merit in court. There was no evidence that I fired them because they gained weight. Because it never happened. Now the truth is finally out.”
“They were fired for taking a private recording of me without my consent and sending it off to ex-employees.
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Lizzo insists she has ‘never fired an employee for gaining weight’ (AFP/Getty)
“I have never fired an employee for gaining weight,” she insisted. “I have only encouraged and supported people with bigger bodies and shared my platform with them.”
She continued: “This claim has haunted me since the day it came out. It has been devastating to suffer through this in silence but I let my lawyers lead and I’m so grateful for this victory. I am still in a legal battle. I am not settling. I will be fighting every single claim until the truth is out.”
The judge ruled in 2024 that the fat-shaming claims were barred by First Amendment protections and contradicted by evidence showing the dancers were dismissed for recording a private meeting. The dancers initially appealed the decision but withdrew the appeal in November.
Nevertheless, the dancers’ sexual harassment lawsuit, which Lizzo’s team called a “fabricated sob story,” is set to move forward. The lawsuit alleges that, during a trip to Amsterdam, Lizzo pressured the staffers into touching a nude performer at a strip club.
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“As was true two years ago, the dancers cannot find a single person to corroborate their meritless claims,” Glass said in a statement to Billboard on December 11. “In contrast, 18 witnesses who worked with Lizzo on the Special tour submitted sworn statements refuting the claims made by Davis, Williams and Rodriguez. We look forward to the Court of Appeals ruling on this matter.”
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Lizzo’s reputation as a champion of body positivity has taken serious damage due to the fat-shaming claims (Getty Images for The Met Museum/)
The allegations have done serious damage to the singer’s reputation as they fly in the face of her public persona. As a performer, Lizzo is known for promoting body positivity, women’s rights, LGBT+ rights, and anti-bullying. Throughout her career, she has crafted a globally successful brand of body positivity and self-love, backed up by a discography of empowerment anthems.
When the first lawsuit was filed in August 2023, the Grammy-winning artist responded to the allegations on Instagram, writing: “My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticised. Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
Lizzo said that while she is “not here to be looked at as a victim,” she knows she is “not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”
“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 concluded.
