A plus-sized female rapper from Michigan recently filed a lawsuit against Lyft, alleging her driver refused to provide her service because she was too large.
Dajua Blanding, also known as Dank Demoss, claimed she was trying to get to a Detroit Lions watch party when her Lyft driver refused to provide her service, saying she wouldn’t fit in his sedan.
Blanding, who said she has ridden in smaller vehicles without any issues, recorded the incident.
“I can fit in this car,” she said in the video. The driver responded, “Believe me, you can’t.”
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The driver told Blanding his tires couldn’t handle the weight, apologized, and suggested ordering a larger vehicle, affiliate FOX 2 Detroit reported.
While the driver promised to refund the ride, Blanding said the encounter still hurt her feelings.
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She retained attorneys and is suing for discrimination.
Attorney Jonathan Marko told FOX 2 the refusal was illegal, as weight is a protected characteristic in Michigan.
Denying someone a ride based on their weight would be the same under the law as denying someone because of their race or religion, according to Marko.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Lyft said it “unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination.”
“We believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness,” according to the statement. “Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination.”
A Lyft spokesperson said they could not comment on specific incidents involving pending litigation, but that all who drive with Lyft are working as independent contractors.
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