A Tennessee woman said she plans to file a formal complaint with the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners after her dermatologist allegedly referred to her as "Aunt Jemima" during a visit July 11, according to WMC Action News 5.
Lexi Carter told WMC Action News 5 July 13 she was waiting at Midsouth Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Bartlett, Tenn., when founder James Turner, MD, PhD, entered the room and said "Hi Aunt Jemima." She also claimed he used the term more than once during her visit and reportedly did not apologize at the time.
Aunt Jemima, a brand of breakfast food items owned by the Quaker Oats Company, debuted in 1889. The brand features the image of a black servant woman.
"It was an insult, racial ethnic insult, a joke. It's putting me on a level of someone who is subservient with a smile — kind of step and fetch it. It was very derogatory, very demeaning," Ms. Carter said.
In a statement to the news organization, Dr. Turner said: "Ms. Carter is one of our very dear patients and has been for years. She is one of many African American patients and I count it a privilege to be their doctor. Anything I said that tarnishes that image and my respect for her was a misspoken blunder on my part and was not intended to show disrespect for Ms. Carter. I am very sorry for that misunderstanding."