“I think it’s lazy for me to just say I’m body positive at this point,” four-time Grammy Award winner Lizzo told Vogue in 2020.

“I would like to be body-normative. I want to normalize my body,” she said, explaining that she’s become frustrated with the term “body positive” for not benefiting those who aren’t considered straight sized:

“Girls with back fat, girls with bellies that hang, girls with thighs that aren’t separated, that overlap. Girls with stretch marks. You know, girls who are in the 18-plus club.”

Ever since the Detroit native released her breakout 2019 album “Cuz I Love You,” the primary focus of her brand has been celebrating full-figured people like herself. Lizzo has previously said that she never wants “to be thin.”

She’s used countless opportunities to promote that image, including naming her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., presumably after her second album, Big Grrrl Small World. She also has her own shapewear line that strives to be size-inclusive.

But her reputation as a body positivity icon was called into question this week when one of her former backup dancers accused her of being “fat-phobic,” among many other allegations, in a lawsuit filed Tuesday at Los Angeles Superior Court.

Three of the singer’s former backup dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Willaims and Noelle Rodriguez, are suing the performer on nine counts, including sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, religious harassment, racial harassment, disability discrimination, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, assault and false imprisonment.

Davis and Williams were hired after appearing on Lizzo’s “Watch Out For The Big Grrrls” Amazon show in 2021. Rodriguez was also hired that year after working on the singer’s “Rumors” music video.

Lizzo responded to the allegations in an Instagram post Thursday, two days after the suit was filed.

“I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” she said.

In the suit, Davis alleges that Lizzo and her choreographer called her in for a private meeting in April 2023 to discuss her spot on the dance team. Both asked Davis if she was struggling with something because she appeared to be “less committed to her role on the dance cast.”

The questions about Davis’ commitment were “thinly veiled concerts about Ms. Davis’ weight gain, which Lizzo had previously called attention to,” according to the suit.

The dancer was fired in front of the entire team shortly thereafter for previously recording a meeting during which Lizzo gave the performers notes. At the time, the dancer had a habit of recording stressful interactions to process them later. This stemmed from an eye-condition that can leave Davis disoriented when overwhelmed, according to the lawsuit.

Upon seeing how the dancer was treated, Rodriguez resigned on the spot. Williams was also fired that month because of budget cuts, the suit states.

Many of the singer’s fans were left disappointed after hearing about the accusations.

“These new allegations are horrific but show what we’ve always known: you can be oppressed and an oppressor,” Ola Ojewumi, a disabilities activist wrote on Twitter, describing her own experience at one of Lizzo’s shows.

Ojewumi said she attended one of Lizzo’s 2017 concerts in the District of Columbia. She was sitting in her wheelchair in front of the stage when a fan trampled her. She said the pop star then invited him on stage to sing with her.

“I defended Lizzo in the past because I’m protective of Black women, and I saw the attacks on her weight, health and image as unfair,” the activist, who is Black, continued.

Industry professionals also weighed in, describing their own negative experiences working with Lizzo.

Courtney Hollinquest, another one of Lizzo’s former dancers, echoed the remarks made by the three women in the suit.

“For clarification, I’m not a part of the lawsuit – but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest wrote on her Instagram Story. “Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”

Lizzo’s former creative director, Quinn Whitney Wilson, took to Instagram to describe her time with the star.

“I haven’t been a part of that world for around three years for a reason,” she wrote. “I very much applaud the dancers courage to bring this to light and I grieve parts of my own experience.

Sophia Nahli Allison, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker contracted to produce a film about Lizzo’s life, quit the production after being “treated with such disrespect” by Lizzo in 2019.

“I walked away after about two weeks,” she said. “I witnessed how arrogant and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a shitty situation with little support.

“My spirit said to run as fast as you fucking can and I’m so grateful I trusted by gut. I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt but I’ve healed.”

She continued: “Reading these reports made me realize how dangerous of a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”