Lizzo asks court to dismiss former dancers' lawsuit, requests jury trial

[Teletubby 142,630]

Lizzo has asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss the harassment lawsuits her former employees filed against her this year.

She list at least 31 lines of defense that explain why the suits should be tossed out.

However, the Grammy winner is also requesting a trial by jury in response to the complaints.

Lizzo denies “each and every allegation” made against her, citing as one of her defenses that her ex-dancers are “guilty of unclean hands,” which is a legal term that accuses the plaintiff of participating in anything “unethical in relation to the subject of the lawsuit.”
 

 

[Magic Mike 2,684]

 Gurl…

[Roughhouse Dandy 10,237]

Innocent until proven guilty, and I pray that Lizzo remains innocent. She's been such a light. 

[hugo020 61]

Is it me or Lizzo is already cancelled? It’s like she was on everybody’s lips then the accusations happened and people were like « ok, we’re done with her, next »

[PartySick 151,786]

Wait, if they dismiss the lawsuits then what exactly would be litigated at a follow-up trial? She should just countersue for defamation honestly.

[Lanadelduck 1,966]

  On 9/29/2023 at 12:22 AM, PartySick said:

Wait, if they dismiss the lawsuits then what exactly would be litigated at a follow-up trial? She should just countersue for defamation honestly.

Expand  

Not when the defense to defamation is truth. 

[PartySick 151,786]

  On 9/29/2023 at 12:46 AM, Lanadelduck said:

Not when the defense to defamation is truth. 

Expand  

Well, I mean instead of having their lawsuits struck down, just offer a counter suit and take it all on at once.

The way I'm reading this is she wants their cases dropped entirely then she wants to litigate their accusations anyway with some kind of trial...which makes no sense

I assume this is a civil dispute, not a criminal one, which means they're seeking damages for whatever reason. That gives Lizzo the right to countersue for defamation and whatever losses she and her team believe they've suffered due to the allegations. She should do that instead of shutting them down entirely then let the situation play out transparently 

I still don't know what the accusations even are so I'm not sure my two cents are warranted 

[Future Lovers 6,657]

  On 9/29/2023 at 1:17 AM, PartySick said:

I still don't know what the accusations even are so I'm not sure my two cents are warranted 

Expand  

Mental harassment, sexual harassment, fostering of an unhealthy work environment, and promotion of mental abuse via members of her inner circle

[PartySick 151,786]

  On 9/29/2023 at 3:02 AM, Future Lovers said:

Mental harassment, sexual harassment, fostering of an unhealthy work environment, and promotion of mental abuse via members of her inner circle

Expand  

Maybe it's just the old conservative in me or I'm just imagining what I'd do in their shoes but sexual harassment seems like the only serious one

All the others...I mean, if she/her team are toxic or hostile then quit? I can't wrap my head around staying in a toxic work environment until you hit a breaking point then slap a price tag on your suffering.

Sexual harassment is different. They should be going to law enforcement about that and pressing criminal charges. Seeking civil damages for that makes me feel like those accusations aren't very serious or credible.

Again, just me imagining what I'd do. If I were in there shoes, I'd want those responsible to face actual consequences, I would not be thinking about cash.

[Teletubby 142,630]

  On 9/29/2023 at 7:20 PM, PartySick said:

Maybe it's just the old conservative in me or I'm just imagining what I'd do in their shoes but sexual harassment seems like the only serious one

All the others...I mean, if she/her team are toxic or hostile then quit? I can't wrap my head around staying in a toxic work environment until you hit a breaking point then slap a price tag on your suffering.

Sexual harassment is different. They should be going to law enforcement about that and pressing criminal charges. Seeking civil damages for that makes me feel like those accusations aren't very serious or credible.

Again, just me imagining what I'd do. If I were in there shoes, I'd want those responsible to face actual consequences, I would not be thinking about cash.

Expand  

after Amsterdam show one of the dancers on behalf of Lizzo asked the rest who want go on the town.
those dancers who are suing Lizzo claim they were celebrating someone's birthday when they accepted the invitation and only later found out they were going to the Red-Light District. 
while at Bananenbar, Lizzo invited her dancers to touch performer's breasts and one of the dancer said she felt pressured to do it because Lizzo and the rest of the dancers were chanting her name.

all those stories about Lizzo forcing anyone to eat bananas at Bananenbar were made up by the press. they could do it there, but none of the dancers mention in the lawsuit that Lizzo forced anyone.

[PartySick 151,786]

  On 9/29/2023 at 8:07 PM, Teletubby said:

after Amsterdam show one of the dancers on behalf of Lizzo asked the rest who want go on the town.
those dancers who are suing Lizzo claim they were celebrating someone's birthday when they accepted the invitation and only later found out they were going to the Red-Light District. 
while at Bananenbar, Lizzo invited her dancers to touch performer's breasts and one of the dancer said she felt pressured to do it because Lizzo and the rest of the dancers were chanting her name.

all those stories about Lizzo forcing anyone to eat bananas at Bananenbar were made up by the press. they could do it there, but none of the dancers mention in the lawsuit that Lizzo forced anyone.

Expand  

That's the sexual harassment being alleged?

Did they try saying no or explaining that they're not comfortable at any point? I feel like any reasonable court would ask how anyone is supposed to know you don't approve when you voluntarily tag along, walk into a bar, and touch a stripper without protest...

Lemme stop before I offend someone I guess. I don't even listen to Lizzo really anymore  this is none of my business anyway. Best of luck to everyone involved

[Ivannn 1,116]

  On 9/28/2023 at 9:20 PM, Roughhouse Dandy said:

Innocent until proven guilty, and I pray that Lizzo remains innocent. She's been such a light. 

Expand  

That isn’t actually the treatment Many others received when faced with accusations….

[Roughhouse Dandy 10,237]

  On 9/29/2023 at 8:19 PM, Ivannn said:

That isn’t actually the treatment Many others received when faced with accusations….

Expand  

[Teletubby 142,630]

  On 9/29/2023 at 8:15 PM, PartySick said:

That's the sexual harassment being alleged?

Did they try saying no or explaining that they're not comfortable at any point? I feel like any reasonable court would ask how anyone is supposed to know you don't approve when you voluntarily tag along, walk into a bar, and touch a stripper without protest...

Lemme stop before I offend someone I guess. I don't even listen to Lizzo really anymore  this is none of my business anyway. Best of luck to everyone involved

Expand  

they gave some interviews and in one of them they were asked why they didn't leave this place and they answered that it was because they were in shock.


This is the part of the lawsuit about Bananenbar:

[Future Lovers 6,657]

  On 9/29/2023 at 8:15 PM, PartySick said:

That's the sexual harassment being alleged?

Did they try saying no or explaining that they're not comfortable at any point? I feel like any reasonable court would ask how anyone is supposed to know you don't approve when you voluntarily tag along, walk into a bar, and touch a stripper without protest...

Lemme stop before I offend someone I guess. I don't even listen to Lizzo really anymore  this is none of my business anyway. Best of luck to everyone involved

Expand  

That would indeed count as workplace sexual harassment yes. 

Lizzo is their employer, therefore there is by default a power imbalance present. She did not inform them ahead of time they were attending a strip club (the location being sexual in nature with a boss and their employees is a huge no no) and because of their status as her employees, they likely felt they couldn’t say no. 

The environment being sexual, the pressure to stay, and her power of them is a textbook example of what often finds its way into court rooms as workplace harassment. It would be like me as a boss organizing an office trip to a **** theater and not telling anyone before we got there what it was. 

Exposing your employees to any sort of content or environment that is sexual in nature, whether they appear to be into it or not, is a violation of worker’s rights and is considered harassment. 

I was psychotically terrorized by an employer pre-pandemic and they fostered a feeling in me that if I didn’t do what they said or participate in things I was uncomfortable with that they would fire me or ruin me professionally. All of these dancers hVe said the same. 

The world of dance is hard to survive in and all it takes is one person of influence saying one negative word to ruin a career. I wasn’t there and don’t know all that happened, but I don’t find it unbelievable at all that Lizzo’s status as their boss and her stature as a celebrity made them feel backed into a corner. 

Psychological abuse at the hands of an employer often causes people to behave in ways they otherwise would not. It makes them stay in their position instead of quitting because they fear what would happen if they try to take themselves out of that environment. 

That fear is also why many employees who’ve been abused in some way by employers never seek criminal chargers but rather take them on civilly. It’s less invasive on both sides and isn’t a drawn out process.