A Michigan rapper is suing Lyft because they wouldn’t pick her up because she was too heavy. A lot of people have been chatting on social media about body shaming, passenger rights, and what gig economy workers should do about it. Dajua Blanding, who is 36 years old and performs by the stage name Dank Demoss, alleges that a Lyft driver wouldn’t pick her up because they thought she was too heavy for the car and that her weight may ruin it. Blanding filmed the encounter and put it on Instagram, where it rapidly went viral and got a lot of comments, some of which agreed with her and others of which didn’t.
Blanding asked for a trip through the Lyft app earlier this month, which started the fight. In her claim, she states that when the driver saw her, he drew up in a Mercedes-Benz and closed the doors. He then tried to escape. Blanding moved up to the automobile and started to record. She calmly says in the video, “I can fit in this car.” The driver keeps saying she can’t, and at one point she says, “Believe me, you can’t.” He then assures her she won’t have to pay for the ride and cancels it.
Blanding claims that even though the talk didn’t end in a ride or payment, it was very hard on her emotionally. Later, she told an interviewer that the meeting made her feel uncomfortable and like she was the only one there since she was so huge. She also said, “I’ve been in smaller cars than that.” “I just want them to know that it made me sad.” She has since sued Lyft, arguing that the firm lets its drivers treat people unfairly and doesn’t make sure that all passengers can use the service safely and comfortably.
Not many states make it a crime to treat someone unfairly because of their weight. Her lawyers, Jonathan Marko and Zach Runyan, alleged that the driver infringed the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act by refusing providing her a ride because of her race, height, weight, or religion. “I knew it was wrong and against the law,” Marko said. He further added that not helping the driver was the same as not helping someone because of their race or religion. Runyan also talked about the prospective safety problems and what could have happened if Blanding had been left alone in a dangerous environment. “It’s not only against the law to not give someone a ride because of their weight, it’s also dangerous,” he said. “Things could have been a lot worse than they were.”
Many individuals left comments on the popular video on Instagram and other platforms. A lot of the people who answered agreed with the driver and said he had the right to safeguard his car if he really thought the passenger’s size could be a problem. Some people said that Blanding should have chosen a bigger car, such a Lyft XL, which offers more room. “Putting too much stuff in a car is against the law,” someone said. The driver was polite, explained why he was doing what he was doing, and even said he was sorry. “Take a different look at things.”
Blanding stayed firm even when people were angry with her. In the caption of her Instagram picture, she angrily called out Lyft and asked them to do something. “Am I wrong?” she asked. “Lyft, what do you think of the driver who was disrespectful to me? “You guys treat huge people poorly.” We don’t feel like we belong here. She further reported that the driver not only said no to giving her a ride, but also that her weight could hurt his tires. She says on the video, “What do I have to do with your tires?” This means that she doesn’t believe the justification given for not receiving a ride.
A few days after the first video went popular, Blanding put another one on Instagram. This time, she called Lyft again while wearing yoga shorts and a hoodie. “I’m trying to get Lyft to let me in the car without judging how much I weigh!” “Please let me in.” But I’ll see you at the afterparty for Sexyy Red. Even while her tone was lighthearted, it was clear that people who are plus-sized are often judged and left out in ways that aren’t always clear.
Blanding has talked about her health and body journey in front of other individuals before. She mentioned in a post from December that she weighed more than 500 pounds, but she had lost more than 40 pounds since then. People who admire how honest she is and how she feels about her body have followed her, but she has also been criticized online.
In response to the complaint and the attention it generated, Lyft said in a statement that all kinds of discrimination are wrong. The business also said, “We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination.” “We want a community where everyone is kind and respectful to each other.” It is extremely apparent in our community’s rules and terms of service that you can’t bother or discriminate against anyone. But the company didn’t mention anything about what happened in the instance or what the driver was doing at the time.
The case raises tough questions about how to find the right balance between a driver’s right to make safe and comfortable choices and a rider’s right to be treated fairly, no matter what they look like. As the legal process goes on, there will definitely be more talk about how firms like Lyft should handle accusations of discrimination based on body size, especially in states where this kind of discrimination is against the law.
Blanding’s lawsuit isn’t simply about one bad thing that happened; it’s about standing up for fairness and respect. She has made it clear that her goal is to bring attention to the larger issue of how plus-sized people are often treated as if they don’t exist or are a problem in public services. We don’t know if her action will change the law or set a legal precedent, but it has started a national discourse about fairness, accountability, and how many individuals are treated unfairly every day, even when they are just trying to get home.
