Lizzo’s dance captain Shirlene Quigley takes to Instagram thanking God following lawsuit accusations of attempting to convert dancers to Christianity
- Read more: Lizzo is sued by ex-dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez
Lizzo’s dance captain Shirlene Quigley took to Instagram on Tuesday thanking God following lawsuit accusations of attempting to convert dancers to Christianity.
The 39-year-old recorded a long post which included the words: ‘Glory to God. I just want to remind you that he is love. He is truth, he is the light. he is the first and the last
‘All things work together for those that are called together according to his purpose.’
Shirlene’s name was thrown into the mix as it emerged Lizzo is being sued by three of her former backup dancers who accused the singer of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
The popstar, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, faces the legal battle after the dancers alleged she commented on their weight and pressured one to touch a nude performer in a strip club.
Defiant: Lizzo’s dance captain Shirlene Quigley takes to Instagram thanking God following lawsuit accusations of attempting to convert backing dancers to Christianity
Shock claims: Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, faces a legal battle after dancers alleged that she commented on their weight, pressured one to touch a nude performer in a club, and created a hostile work environment
The suit also alleges that Shirlene pushed her Christian beliefs upon other performers and denigrated those who had premarital sex.
She’s also been accused of simulating oral sex, sharing lewd sexual fantasies and discussing one performer’s virginity.
According to NBC News, The lawsuit does not say whether Lizzo knew about Quigley’s alleged behavior.
But the plaintiffs – dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez – believe she was aware of complaints levelled against Shirlene, according to their lawyer, Ron Zambrano.
Shirlene’s post in full said: ‘Hey everybody. God is so so good. God loves you so so so so so so so much. No matter what you’re going through
‘Even if you don’t love him, he loves you. Glory to God. I just want to remind you that he is love, He is truth, he is the light. He is the first and the last.
‘All things work together for those that are called together according to his purpose. I just feel so blessed. I feel so thankful. I feel so full of joy.
‘I had an amazing time on tour with amazing people. And I’m so excited to be home resting with my family and my dog after an amazing experience.
‘I just want to tell everyone that God loves you, I love you. Glory to god. I hope you’re smiling and you feel joy. No matter where you are at, or what you are going through.
‘I’m telling you God loves you, Bye.’
Moreover, the plaintiffs – Lizzo’s former dancers both appeared on the recent Amazon Prime reality show Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls- about the singer’s quest to find backup dancers.
Shirlene’s recording in full…
‘Hey everybody. God is so so good. God loves you so so so so so so so much. No matter what you’re going through
‘Even if you don’t love him, he loves you. Glory to God. I just want to remind you that he is love, He is truth, he is the light. He is the first and the last.
‘All things work together for those that are called together according to his purpose. I just feel so blessed. I feel so thankful. I feel so full of joy.
‘I had an amazing time on tour with amazing people. And I’m so excited to be home resting with my family and my dog after an amazing experience.
‘I just want to tell everyone that God loves you, I love you. Glory to god. I hope you’re smiling and you feel joy. No matter where you are at, or what you are going through.
‘I’m telling you God loves you, Bye.’
It accused the famous singer of ‘inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers,’ inside an Amsterdam strip club, the suit states.
She allegedly encouraged ‘catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.’
The complaints for all damages include: Hostile work environment, sexual harassment, religious harassment, racial harassment, disability discrimination, and failure to prevent or remedy the harassment.
Lizzo is specifically accused of disability discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and failing to stop said issues.
Her touring company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. is also named as a defendant.
Inside the Amsterdam strip joint, Lizzo allegedly ‘turned her attention to Ms. Davis and began pressuring Ms. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.’
Davis refused multiple times, while the popstar allegedly chanted louder and louder to encourage her to do the act, the lawsuit claimed. Davis eventually did touch the performer.
‘Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed,’ the filing read.
In another instance, the plaintiffs claim Lizzo invited the dancers to a club in Paris – but failed to mention that it was a nude cabaret bar. This ‘shocked’ the dancers, who said Lizzo ‘robbed them of the choice not to participate,’ the suit said.
Lizzo also allegedly made a claim the dancers were drinking before performances, which Williams then spoke out about. The popstar allegedly made the group go through an ‘excruciating’ 12-hour rehearsal.
Williams lost her job days after, the lawsuit claimed.
Speaking out: Arianna Davis – one of the plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit against Lizzo. In one instance noted in the lawsuit, Davis soiled her pants during an intense rehearsal because she was so fearful she’d lose her job. She was then handed a see-through outfit with no undergarments to finish the performance, the suit said
Claims: Crystal Williams – one of the plaintiffs who lodged the lawsuit against Lizzo. The suit claimed that Williams spoke out against allegations Lizzo made that the dancers were drinking before their performances. She was fired a few days later
Hitting back: Noelle Rodriguez – one of the plaintiffs who lodged the lawsuit against Lizzo. When Rodriguez quit, Lizzo showed her two middle fingers and yelled a slur at her, the lawsuit claimed
Davis, meanwhile, soiled her pants during the intense rehearsal because she was so fearful she’d lose her job, the documents state. She was then handed a see-through outfit with no undergarments to finish the performance, the suit said.
Rodriguez complained to a manager about the decision to publicly fire Williams, after Lizzo had told the group she had ‘eyes and ears everywhere.’
Davis recorded the meeting on April 27, because she claimed she suffers from an eye condition that leaves her disoriented.
But as a result, Lizzo held a meeting and had security confiscate dancers’ phones, the lawsuit claimed.
‘Lizzo became furious, hurling expletives at the group and stated that she was going to go around the room, person-by-person until someone told Lizzo who made the recording,’ the filing contended.
When Davis tried to tell Lizzo and Quigley she meant no harm recording the meeting, they berated her and Lizzo fired her on the spot, the suit read.
Rodriguez then expressed how she felt disrespected and threatened to resign – to which Lizzo said she was ‘lucky.’
When Rodriguez did indeed quit, Lizzo showed her two middle fingers and yelled a slur at her, the lawsuit claimed.
Lizzo has yet to respond to the lawsuit.
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