Lizzo Breaks Silence On Sexual Assault Allegations, Calls Them "Sensationalized Stories"

The big stars who preach about bullying and body positivity might not be so angelic behind closed doors. If you're not already aware, Lizzo is being sued by her former dancers, who claim she's not the sweet and supportive diva she portrays herself to be. Her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and dance captain Shirlene Quigley have also caught themselves in these accusations.

According to the lawsuit, Lizzo allegedly engaged in questionable behavior with her dance crew: weight-shaming, false imprisonment, and even disturbing claims involving sex workers and bananas. "The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly," the official statement reads, "while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing."

The "Special" singer has finally broken her silence following the intense backlash she faced this week. “These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized,” Lizzo shared in an Instagram post. “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."

She continued, "As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it's never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren't valued as an important part of the team."

"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."

"I'm hurt but I will not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this," she concluded. "I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time."

While the lawsuit is still ongoing, things are not looking good for Lizzo at this time. Normally, Lizzo's name is sung in Beyoncé's song, "Break My Soul (Queen's Remix)," alongside other superstars Nina Simone, Nicki Minaj, and Lauryn Hill to celebrate the black women in the industry. But the queen herself omitted Lizzo's name following the accusations when she performed this last Tuesday in Boston.

Besides Lizzo's plaintiffs, Los Angeles-based filmmaker Sophia Allison also spoke up about the singer's behavior in the past. "I usually do not comment on anything pop culture related," Allison shared on social media. "But, in 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about 2 weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her."

She continued, "I witnessed how arrogant, self-centered, and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a sh*tty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f*cking can and I'm so grateful I trusted my gut."

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