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Wardrobe designer sues Lizzo for harassment, racism, toxic workplace
Lizzo is at the center of a new lawsuit that alleges fat shaming, sexual harassment and racism — this time from her former wardrobe stylist.
Asha Daniels, who designed outfits for the dancers on the Grammy winner‘s 2023 Special Tour, claims she was the subject of “racist and fatphobic” comments from wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura, and that Lizzo allows this behavior.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday, comes shortly after another suit from three of Lizzo’s former background dancers, who accused the singer of sexual harassment, racial harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
Nomura is now accused of referring to the performers as “fat,” “useless” and “dumb,” putting on stereotypical impressions of Black women, and forcing them to disrobe while the mostly white, male stagehands “lewdly gawk” at them, court documents obtained by NBC News reveal.
“I felt like I was living in a madhouse,” Daniels told the outlet the day before she filed the suit. “It was totally shocking.”
“I was listening to this Black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others,” the fashion designer said. “And I was witnessing myself, the dancers and the background vocalists, and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly.”
Daniels’ filing states that she was forced to endure sexual harassment by Lizzo’s management. One instance cited is a group text with dozens of touring staffers that included graphic images of male genitalia.
“Lizzo’s management found the image to be comical, further encouraging an unsafe, sexually charged workplace culture… a culture that has been nurtured and condoned by Lizzo,” the suit says.
The body-positivity role model is named in Daniels’ lawsuit alongside her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc (BGBT), tour manager Carlina Gugliotta and Amanda Nomura. According to the suit, Daniels claims she was terminated after she complained about Nomura.
In a statement to NBC News, Lizzo’s spokesperson, Stefan Friedman, referred to the filing as “a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit” from someone who “never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.”
“We will pay this as much attention as it deserves,” the statement continued: “None.”
The filing of the lawsuit comes on the same day that Lizzo was scheduled to receive the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award from the Black Music Action Coalition in Los Angeles.
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