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Dank Deoss filmed her interaction with a Lyft driver who refused to pick her up and locked his doors, because of her weight.
Detroit rapper Dank Demoss is fighting for her right to ride. The self-proclaimed “BBW” — real name Dajua Blanding — has teamed up with a Michigan civil rights law firm to sue Lyft over a driver refusing to pick her up for a ride due to her weight.
According to a complaint filed by Marko Law, LLC, Demoss called a Lyft so she could get a ride to her cousin’s house to watch a football game. She was connected with a driver, who eventually showed up in a Mercedes-Benz.
However, Demoss alleges the Lyft driver locked his doors and attempted to drive away when he saw his assigned passenger. When she stopped him and asked what was wrong, the driver allegedly said that she was “too big” to ride in his vehicle.
Demoss filmed the interaction — which went viral across social media — and caught the driver on camera saying that he was going to cancel her ride. He also recommended she order a larger vehicle. “I’ve been in this situation before,” he said, insinuating that his car and tires could not support her weight.
“So every big person, you turn down because they can’t fit in your car?” Demoss asked the driver before adding that she’d never been in that situation before. In the post’s caption, Demoss tagged the Lyft account and confessed that she felt “humiliated and embarrassed” at how she’d been treated.
In her lawsuit, Demoss is seeking monetary compensation for stress, mental anguish, and legal fees, as well as other damages. “Under the [Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act] law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion,” stated attorney Jon Marko. “Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.”
“Refusing someone transportation based on their weight is not only illegal but dangerous,” fellow attorney Zach Runyan added. “Imagine the consequences if Ms. Blanding were unable to seek shelter after the driver left her stranded. This could have ended even worse than it did.”
Lyft subsequently issued a statement regarding the situation, condemning discrimination in all forms.
