Lizzo’s Dancers Ask Appeals Court to Let S3xual Hara$$ment Case Go to Trial

Lizzo’s Dancers Ask Appeals Court to Let S3xual Hara$$ment Case Go to Trial

Lizzo’s former backup dancers are asking an appeals court to let their sexual harassment lawsuit move forward, pushing back against the superstar’s argument that certain alleged conduct should be protected as free speech.

According to Billboard, the dancers are urging the court to reject Lizzo’s First Amendment defense and allow their case to proceed to trial. The plaintiffs argue that what they experienced should not be dismissed as artistic or expressive conduct.

The update comes after a Los Angeles judge ruled at the start of 2024 that three dancers from Lizzo’s Special tour could move forward with some of their legal claims against the singer. While the judge dismissed a widely publicized allegation involving fat-shaming, he determined that other accusations warranted a trial.

Those remaining claims include allegations that Lizzo pressured members of her staff to touch nude performers and eat bananas from their genitals while attending sex shows in Amsterdam and Paris. The judge described those allegations as “equally salacious,” according to Billboard.

The dancers now want an appeals court to clear the way for a jury to hear the case, arguing that the alleged “banana incident” should not be categorized as “creative expression.” The lawsuit remains ongoing.