Lizzo has hit yet another roadblock in her bombshell sexual harassment lawsuit, as a recent attempt to dodge the legal proceedings has failed.
According to Billboard, on Friday (February 2), a judge denied the singer’s motion to throw out her sexual harassment lawsuit filed by three of her former backup dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez.
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It’s important to note that while certain accusations have been dismissed — such as claims that Lizzo fat-shamed one of her dancers — the case as a whole will go to trial.
Lizzo, who is facing harassment and discrimination allegations, sought dismissal of the case under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which aims to swiftly resolve meritless lawsuits threatening free speech. Her legal team contended that the lawsuit was an attempt to “silence” her.
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However, Judge Mark H. Epstein found that the anti-SLAPP statute didn’t apply to the circumstances. “It is dangerous for the court to weigh in, ham-fisted, into constitutionally protected activity,” the judge wrote. “But it is equally dangerous to turn a blind eye to allegations of discrimination or other forms of misconduct merely because they take place in a speech-related environment.”
The judge’s decision echoes a November opposition filing submitted by the dancer’s legal team, contending that the anti-SLAPP statutes do not shield Lizzo from potential legal consequences for the allegations made against her.
They wrote in the 19-page filing obtained by Rolling Stone: “Can a global celebrity be forever insulated from civil liability because all their conduct is protected as free speech under the anti-SLAPP statute? Defendant Lizzo asks this Court to rule in exactly that fashion. Fortunately for all victims of celebrity malfeasance, the law says otherwise.”
They added: “In an apparent effort to dupe this Court, Defendants either cherry-pick allegations or outright omit allegations inconvenient to their position, instead sanitizing them with euphemisms.”
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The lawsuit — which names Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, and her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley as defendants — was filed back in August.
Among the allegations, the plaintiffs have claimed Lizzo once called attention to one dancer’s weight gain and later berated and fired that person after they recorded a meeting “because of a health condition.”
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According to the suit, Davis and fellow plaintiff Crystal Williams started working with Lizzo after competing on her 2021 Amazon reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, and were later fired. The third claimant, Noelle Rodriguez, was hired the same year after performing in the “Rumors” video and resigned earlier this year.
