Arts historian accused of racism for referring to ‘the dreaded Meghan’ and ‘people of a colourful disposition’ during Zoom lecture is ordered to take diversity training and apologise
- Dr Anne Anderson has been hauled before a disciplinary panel over comments
- During a Zoom lecture with the Arts Society she commented on Oprah interview
- Used phrase ‘the dreaded Meghan’ and was investigated over ‘racist’ language
An academic who used the phrase ‘the dreaded Meghan’ while discussing the Sussexes’ Oprah interview during a Zoom meeting has been hauled before a disciplinary panel and suspended.
Dr Anne Anderson was accused of using ‘racist language’ and an ‘inappropriate’ remark about the Duchess of Sussex during an informal online chat ahead of a lecture.
The 65-year-old was chatting with members about Harry and Meghan’s sit-down with Oprah Winfrey days earlier and, referring to media coverage of the interview, noted: ‘You couldn’t turn the television on without some person of a colourful disposition having a moan about something.’
Days later she received an email informing she had been removed from the society directory for using ‘racist’ language and was told she had to face a disciplinary panel and hand over a copy of her lecture.
She was later cleared of having any racist intent, but told MailOnline the affair was ‘humiliating’.
She added: ‘I don’t know what the Art Society wanted to achieve by disciplining me in this way but the crime just doesn’t seem to fit the punishment.
‘As an Arts Society lecturer you are constantly walking on egg shells because it only takes one complaint against you. As a lecturer of some standing I should be able to express my own opinions.’
Dr Anne Anderson was accused of using ‘racist language’ and an ‘inappropriate’ remark about the Duchess of Sussex during an informal online chat ahead of a lecture
The incident happened on March 12 as Anderson prepared to give a lecture titled, ‘How We Got IKEA: Scandinavian Design 1880-1960’ to the Truro branch of the Arts Society.
Dr Anderson, who has given about 25 Arts Society lectures a year since 1994, proceeded to give her lecture before receiving an email some 48 hours later.
On April 15 Dr Anderson attended the disciplinary panel chaired by Florian Schweizer, the Arts Society’s chief executive.
He was accompanied by officers of the Society and a woman, identified only as ‘Judy’, who had accused her of racist language. The Duchess of Sussex herself was not involved in the complaint.
Four days later, Dr Anderson received an email from Schweizer telling her that, though her comments had not been racist, the ‘dreaded Meghan’ remark had been ‘inappropriate’.
He added she would not lose her accreditation to the Society if she wrote apologies to ‘Judy’ and others, pay to attend a diversity training course and discuss ‘appropriate conduct’ with one of the Society’s retired lecturers.
Dr Anderson denied using racist language, adding: ‘I was referring to the language. I should have said ‘florid language’ but it just came out wrong. It is one of those things that you bitterly regret afterwards because it could have been open to misinterpretation.’
Dr Anderson told MailOnline: ‘It all escalated and got out of hand. Normally I’d give a lecture live and beforehand you’d all have a chat. I always talk about topical things to break the ice.
‘It is unfortunate that the night in question was after the Oprah interview and we just began chatting about it. But you forget you’ve got 20-40 people in your sitting room with you and its easy to be lured into a false sense of security.
‘A lot of people feel very isolated, a lot who come to the lectures are elderly and have been isolating alone so this gives them the chance to chat and blow off steam.
‘Some people are pro [Meghan] and some are anti-her. It never even occurred to me that I’d get myself into hot water.
‘As far as I know, I am still suspended from the society. I don’t know if I’ll be allowed back in. I have been told by Florian Schweizer that I must not bring the society into disrepute.
‘I had to write an apology to Truro, to Judy but I don’t even know her surname, take a diversity course, and have interview with a retired lecturer to discuss my behaviour.
‘It is humiliating. I am 65 and have been a lecturer since I was 21.’
The 65-year-old was chatting with members about Harry and Meghan’s sit-down with Oprah Winfrey days earlier
Dr Anderson added: ‘I really worry for younger lectures coming up in this atmosphere because they’ve really got to think about what they say.
‘We are being muzzled by this idea of bringing the Society into disrepute. Florian Schweizer decides what is inappropriate behaviour.
‘I did not mean any offence by what I said, I simply meant the coverage of the [Oprah] interview was divisive.
Florian Schweizer, Chief Executive of The Arts Society told MailOnline: ‘The Arts Society followed its complaints procedure after a complaint had been made against Dr Anne Anderson. The matter was resolved by following this procedure. We have no further comments on this matter.’
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