Lizzo, the well-known singer behind the hit ‘Truth Hurts,’ is speaking out against a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by her former dancers, which she believes is limiting her ability to freely express herself. Her legal team maintains that this limitation goes against her constitutional rights.
After nearly two years since the dancers accused Lizzo of discrimination, sexual harassment, and creating a hostile work environment, her legal team has filed an appeal to dismiss the case completely and avoid going to trial.
Lizzo’s lawyers argue that the lawsuit is an infringement on her First Amendment rights, claiming that the singer should have the freedom to creatively express herself as an artist without interference.
“Plaintiffs’ suit [is] an attack on Lizzo’s First Amendment right to perform her music and advocate for body positivity. Rather than accept personal accountability, plaintiffs filed this shotgun action, taking aim at nearly every facet of Lizzo’s creative process,” the appeal filing reads.
Her attorneys doubled down with their own statements.
“Judges must not dissect the creative process to determine what was necessary to achieve the final product and what was not,” they said. “By rejecting the artist’s proven experience for what is necessary to, and best enhances, her own art, the trial court stepped far outside its role.”
In the past, presiding Judge Mark H. Epstein weighed in on the constitutional angle taken by the defense.
“It is dangerous for the court to weigh in, ham-fisted, into constitutionally protected activity, but is also equally dangerous to turn a blind eye to allegations of discrimination or other forms of misconduct merely because they take place in a speech-related environment,” he relayed.
Despite the statement, Epstein has yet to weigh in on the latest appeal filing.
