The lawyer representing the former dancers who accused Lizzo of “fat-shaming” has released a statement telling her not to celebrate her recent legal victory just yet.
Lizzo is being sued for sexual harassment by her former dancers Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez and Crystal Williams, who also claimed that the pop star fat-shamed them. Due to “an unauthorized recording of Lizzo in a dancer meeting” sent between the dancers, the fat-shaming allegations were dropped from the case because the Superior Court judge concluded they lacked merit. After Lizzo released a video celebrating the allegations being dropped from the lawsuit, the attorney representing her accusers cautioned her against acting as though she’s already won the case.
“Lizzo’s apparent victory lap is a bit premature. Seven claims, including assault, false imprisonment, and sexual harassment, are waiting for Lizzo and her team at the end of the appellate process,” said Los Angeles attorney Ron Zambrano. “Her recent comments are littered with convenient inaccuracies. Stunningly, Lizzo's legal position is that fat shaming is OK because it's an exercise of her free speech. Ms. Williams was initially fired for standing up for what was right. Additionally, Ms. Davis was fired for recording a conversation because she bravely admitted to doing so despite the consequences. Lizzo could learn from Ms. Davis' integrity. Ms. Rodriguez resigned after watching Lizzo try to assault her, all while Lizzo caused the entire dance team to be falsely imprisoned because the defendant apparently can't fathom being put in a light not curated by her or her team.”
Zambrano accused Lizzo of experiencing “collective legal cognitive dissonance,” claiming that her alleged acts of assault and false imprisonment “should be protected as free speech.” Seven claims in the lawsuit are set to proceed, including various forms of harassment and assault. “Plaintiffs, unlike their opponents, have taken a considered, intellectually honest approach within the legal framework and have decided not to contest the judge’s decision on those two claims given the remaining claims are strong and are crucial to the case, and we very much look forward to trial,” Zambrano added.
In a post shared on TikTok on Monday (Dec. 15), Lizzo celebrated the latest developments against her and other defendants in the case, which was filed in August 2023.
“The fat-shaming claims against me have been officially dropped by my accusers,” Lizzo wrote. “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 weren't fired for gaining weight. They were fired for taking a private recording of me without my consent and sending it off to ex-employees.”
She reiterated her innocence and said that she never fired someone for “gaining weight,” and she has always sought to encourage and support “people with bigger bodies.” She said the allegations that she fat-shamed her former employees “haunted” her since the lawsuit was filed. “It has been devastating to suffer through this in silence but I let my lawyers lead and I'm so grateful for this victory,” she continued. “I am still in a legal battle. I am not settling. I will be fighting every single claim until the truth is out.”