Lizzo Dancers Lawsuit Moving Forward

Last year pop star Lizzo filed a motion to have the case dismissed after being sued by several of her former dancers for creating a hostile work environment [click here if you missed that].

Lizzo's request has been denied....

From NBC News

Lizzo's request to throw out a lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers was denied by a judge on Friday, indicating the suit will proceed.

Judge Mark H. Epstein ruled in a 34-page decision in Los Angeles County Superior Court that Lizzo's argument that the case be dismissed under the anti-SLAPP statute didn't entirely fit the suit, though parts of it did.

The anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statute allows defendants to quickly dismiss meritless suits that threaten their right to free speech under the First Amendment.

Epstein did elect to toss out some of the plaintiffs' accusations against Lizzo and her team, including that Lizzo fat-shamed one of her dancers.

The judge also said the fact that Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, required dancers to pose for a nude photoshoot for her show “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” was protected under anti-SLAPP law as a part of the “creative process,” which falls under protected free speech.

"This case presents a number of difficult issues," Epstein conceded in his opinion. "And the courts are rightfully wary of injecting themselves into the creative process."

"Finding the right balance is often no easy task, and this case is a perfect example," Epstein said.