A Michigan civil rights law firm filed a lawsuit against Lyft after one of its drivers refused to give a ride to a Detroit woman because of her weight.
According to the complaint from Marko Law, PLLC, on Jan. 18 Dajua Blanding — a self-described “BBW” rapper who also goes by the name Dank Demoss — called a Lyft for a ride from her home to watch a football game at her cousin’s house. (The big Detroit Lions game against the Washington Commanders, we’re guessing.)
But when the driver rolled up in a Mercedes-Benz sedan, he locked the doors and tried to drive away. When questioned, the driver told Blanding she was “too big” to enter his vehicle.
A video of the interaction posted on Dank Demoss’s TikTok page went viral, getting viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
In the clip the driver, who is not named in the lawsuit, told Blanding he was canceling her ride and told her to order a bigger car, adding that she would not fit in the back seat and the car’s tires would not support her.
“I’ve been in this situation before,” the driver says.
“So every big person, you turn down because they can’t fit in your car?” Blanding responds, adding that she has not had this problem with Lyft previously.
“@Lyft I’m humiliated and embarrassed,” Blanding wrote on TikTok.
In a 2024 social media post, Blanding said she weighed 554 lbs.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for stress, mental anguish, and attorney fees, among other damages, and states that the incident was a violation of the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
“Under the law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion,” attorney Jon Marko said in a statement, adding, “Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.”
“Refusing someone transportation based on their weight is not only illegal, but dangerous,” 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.”
Metro Times has reached out to Lyft for comment.
“Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination — we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness,” a Lyft spokesperson said in a statement. “Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination.”
This article was updated with a statement from Lyft.
