A United States federal judge on Tuesday dismissed the remaining claims filed by wardrobe stylist Asha Daniels against Lizzo’s touring company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., over allegations of a hostile work environment during the singer’s 2023 European tour. The ruling means the case against the touring company cannot proceed.
The same judge had previously dismissed Lizzo as a defendant in the case. A lawyer for the Grammy-winning singer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We are disappointed by the court’s ruling. While we respect the court and the judicial process, we believe the decision improperly weighed evidence that should have been evaluated by a jury,” Daniels’ lawyer Ron Zambrano said in a statement.
Judge’s reasoning#
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha said Daniels failed to identify conduct by the company’s employees that demonstrated “general hostility” to women in the workplace or disparate treatment of men and women.
“This alleged conduct and these alleged incidents, while inappropriate and unprofessional, fall within the scope of what the Supreme Court has held to be outside the protection of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as part of the ‘ordinary tribulations of the workplace,’” the judge ruled, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Allegations in the lawsuit#
Daniels first filed her lawsuit in September 2023. She alleged the atmosphere on Lizzo’s tour subjected her to:
- “racist and fat phobic comments”
- sexual harassment
- disability discrimination
She also claimed a wardrobe manager once physically injured her by rolling a “heavy clothing rack” over her foot and pushing her.
“The court does not seek to minimize or disregard the pain plaintiff felt from these injuries,” the judge wrote. “Nevertheless, these injuries do not qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” he wrote, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
