Lizzo’s Allegations and the Compulsion to Enjoy

Earlier this week, the singer Lizzo was accused of sexual harassment, forcing her former tour dancers to perform lewd acts against their will. In one incident:

Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas. Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms Davis and began pressuring Ms Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women performing at the club,” the suit said. “Lizzo began leading a chant goading Ms Davis. Ms Davis said three times, loud enough for all to hear, ‘I’m good,’ expressing her desire not to touch the performer

Since these allegations, public opinion has been split between those who criticise Lizzo’s actions and those who see it as her just encouraging others to ‘have fun’. While listening to this latter group, I couldn’t help but think of Slavoj Zizek’s notion that the permissive ideology of the West is predicated on not just enjoyment, but a ‘compulsion to enjoy’.