Lizzo is once again trying to get the sexual harassment lawsuit against her thrown out, with her attorneys asking an appeals court to toss the case for free speech reasons.
Lizzo was sued in 2023 by former backup dancers for sexual harassment and cultivating a hostile work environment, which the singer denied doing. Lizzo and her team of attorneys, including prominent Hollywood defense attorney Marty Singer, tried to get the case dismissed using an anti-SLAPP statute that is often utilized to end cases threatening free speech. While a judge dismissed parts of the lawsuit last year, particularly accusations that Lizzo fat-shamed a dancer, he allowed the rest of the case to move forward.
Now, Lizzo is trying to appeal the judge’s decision by doubling down on her free speech rights, with her lawyers arguing that the suit is “an attack on Lizzo’s First Amendment right to perform her music and advocate for body positivity,” according to Billboard.
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One key claim alleges that Lizzo pressured her dancers into touching and engaging with nude performers in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Lizzo’s attorneys are saying that this trip was optional and a part of her artistic approach, which is protected by the First Amendment.
“There’s no disagreement that Lizzo held these outings as a necessary part of her creative process,” Singer wrote in the briefing. “Early social gatherings during international tours (like the Bananenbar) are critical to teambuilding and fostering cohesion.”
Lizzo’s attorneys also wrote that judges should not interfere with artists’ creative processes. Plaintiffs Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez have not yet commented publicly on the appeal.
Last year, Lizzo had announced that she was “taking a gap year and protecting my peace” after nearly quitting music due to the negative attention she was getting online.
Lizzo returned to music earlier this year with two singles: “Love In Real Life” and “Still Bad.” A new full-length project from the artist has yet to be announced.
