Lizzo responded Thursday after three of her former backup dancers filed a lawsuit, alleging sexual harassment and accusing the four-time Grammy winner of creating a hostile work environment. In a statement posted across social media, Lizzo said she's "hurt" and called the "false allegations" both "unbelievable" and "outrageous."
"These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned," the 35-year-old pop star wrote. "My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed."
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.; and her dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley. In it, the dancers allege the singer pressured them to touch nude performers at a club in Amsterdam, called a dancer out for gaining weight and later berated, then fired, that dancer after she recorded a meeting on her phone because of a health condition. Lizzo dismissed the allegations, calling them "sensationalized stories," and said the former employees "have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
"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."
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