Historian Lucy: I can’t even bend over on TV because of sexist trolls
AS CHIEF curator of Britain’s Royal palaces and a star BBC presenter, she’s become one of the nation’s best-known historians.
But Lucy Worsley has revealed how sexist online trolls have forced her to take extra care about what she says – and does – on TV.
She said: ‘One thing I know – and any female presenters will know this – is don’t reveal any body part or bend over because freaks will freeze-frame it and put it on their nasty message boards.
‘I visited [the message boards] once in my life – never again. It was upsetting, disturbing and hurtful.’
The Oxford-educated academic said her abusers have attacked everything from her voice and appearance to her apparent ‘poshness’ and even her intellect, ever since she first started appearing on television in 2011.
‘I get these weird, random and sometimes nasty emails. One thing that does seem to particularly annoy people is my voice and my very slight – to me unnoticeable – speech impediment.
‘I’d say generally they were male correspondents. They would say I can’t pronounce the letter “r” and how annoying they find it.
‘The poshness of my voice also seems to annoy them, which surprises me because I don’t think of myself as a posh person.’
One troll’s email said: ‘Your speech impediment is so irritating that I cannot bear to watch, or listen to, your programmes.’
Another left an unpleasant message on Dr Worsley’s website, attacking her for being ‘skinny’.
But years in the public eye have hardened Dr Worsley, and instead of being cowed by the trolls, she now confronts them by sending messages back.
She explained: ‘I ask them would you say that to my face – that’s how you call them out.’ However, the 42-year-old admitted that she does avoid speaking out about her feminist leanings because of the reaction it provokes on social media sites.
Dr Worsley said: ‘Now I know not to say things that will attract a bad reaction. I know that certain topics will be inflammatory – and that’s anything to do with feminism.
‘I’m not looking for a fight, so I do temper what I say. The idea of an educated female is challenging to some people.’
Dr Worsley, whose programmes include Cake Bakers And Trouble Makers – a history of the Women’s Institute – and Tales From The Royal Wardrobes, said she is not quite as ‘feisty’ as fellow historian Professor Mary Beard, who ‘makes toast of trolls’. She said: ‘If I’m having a good day I’ll think I want to take this on and hit back at the trolls. Half the time they just back down.
‘But if I’m busy or haven’t got time for it, I just delete the message.’
However, the historian is adamant that the abuse will not change her attitude.
‘If you read any of my books or watch my TV programmes, they’re all really about feminism,’ she explained. ‘I haven’t been silenced. I just say it in a more subtle way. I’m the friendly face of feminism.’ Dr Worsley has recently published her debut children’s novel, Eliza Rose, set at the court of Henry VIII.
She took her inspiration for the book from working at Hampton Court, where she has her office as chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces.