Karen is an affectionate, gentle girl who adores her older brother Wataru. She enjoys playing piano and is quite mature for her age.
Unfortunately, Karen can also be cruel and vindictive. If your mother loves to make demands and is constantly loudly asserting her rights, then she could very well be one of Karen’s sister!
1. They are ruthless
Karen is unrelenting in her pursuit of what she wants and won’t stop until it gets her way – no matter who gets hurt along the way. She demands everything her way and will stop at nothing to achieve this end; loud, obnoxious, and generally annoying are words used to describe Karen – loudly demanding until she gets what she wants with no regard for anyone’s feelings or opinions – she demands what she wants without regard for anyone else’s.
At the core of it all lies Karen’s brutal nature: her lack of empathy or consideration for others. She does not perceive any difference between herself and her “entitled white sisters”, only seeing the power she wields over family, friends and peers as justification for acting ruthlessly towards them all.
Ruthlessness often stems from racism and classism; many argue this type of feminism has sidelined Black women. Mikki Kendall in her book Hood Feminism defined this type of feminism as favoring “Lean In” mentalities among white women who have taken up racial equality while holding onto power that has long been used against them.
Not all Karens are racists, however. One such Karen was Catholic nun Sister Karen Klimczak who spent her life helping those who needed her, such as organizing prayer vigils at murder sites in Buffalo or gathering youth together with parolees to share their stories.
However, Karen was still characteristic of Karen due to her egocentrism and arrogance; she prioritized herself above everyone else and her ruthless behavior as an adult was the result of acting like an unruly brat when young.
2. They are racist
At its core, Karen refers to an over-entitled and bigoted white woman who expects things to go her way. Sometimes described as an extreme version of Rachel or subspecies of Soccer Mom, the term has come under criticism due to its racist and classist connotations. According to Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary, Karen personifies everything wrong with overprivileged white women, amplified several thousand times over. Typically seen with an SUV and wearing giant bob haircuts she insists upon speaking directly with the manager in an endless loop.
Karens exhibit their racism not only through insensitive or even hateful statements about individuals or groups of people, but also in their actions and behavior. For example, they may scream at skateboarders, call the police on neighbors, harass people on the street and even rant online about her right to complain and demand that everything goes her way. Recently, this term has replaced terms like ‘Becky’ or ‘white tears’ which refer to performances of innocence or guilt typical of middle-class whites; unlike these tropes however, their rhetoric does not seeks to dehumanize or trivialize their behavior but instead intended to dehumanize and minimize her behavior rather than dehumanize or trivialize it further.
Instead, this term serves to highlight how certain middle-class white women can weaponize their privilege by attacking people or communities they perceive to be outside their “circle.” A Karen is unaware of systemic issues of inequality affecting everyone; moreover, she’s determined to get her way regardless of any costs incurred – no matter who must lose out in the process.
3. They are intolerant
Karen sisters are white women who exhibit intolerance towards people of other races. Although she may not say it openly, their actions speak volumes against racism; additionally they often surround themselves with other white women who share her ideology of Karen-ism and reinforce its influence in their daily lives. Furthermore they believe themselves superior to people of different races.
The term has become widely-used on the internet and can be used to refer to anyone who displays racism and intolerance towards people of color. It’s usually meant as an insult meant to highlight how intolerant certain Caucasian women can be when it comes to these issues, making this term popularly used to ridicule these women and teach them how they should act.
Karen is one of the youngest sisters on The Loud House, playing the stereotypical role of an irresponsible blonde ditzy. However, Karen is more than that – she has so much to contribute but cannot see it due to a stubborn negative attitude that keeps preventing any significant relationship from blossoming with anyone around her.
She struggles with her family relationships, particularly Francis and Peter. She can be intolerant towards people who differ from her and often berates them for it, never fully grasping why people would want to be different from her.
The Karen stereotype has become an infamous meme since the coronavirus pandemic began, particularly among those intolerant of others and using this public health crisis as an excuse to police them. Additionally, this meme has also been employed against anti-vaxxers – helping emphasize just how harmful these women’s behavior is and just how dangerous their actions can be.
4. They are narcissistic
Karen is a very narcissistic character. If you have a Karen sister, chances are good you’re treading carefully around any disagreement or conflict lest any minor disagreement set her off into an angry fit of rage characterized by aggressive words and accusations designed to keep her at the center of attention and control; in response, she may accuse you of being abusive, creating an endless cycle which is hard to break free from.
To protect yourself from her emotional abuse, try minimizing contact as much as possible. When necessary, when speaking with her be sure to take notes about what was said and your response – this way if she attempts to twist what you said or try and claim you are overreacting you have evidence. It may also help if you practice empathy and compassion toward her behavior so you have a greater understanding of it.
Another reason to avoid her is her use of triangulation to undermine your relationships with other family members. She may spread lies about you before trying to influence other family members against you; this practice, known as gaslighting, can have serious repercussions for mental health.
Narcissism is an extreme condition that can severely diminish quality of life, with Karen sisters being especially harmful in this regard. If you suspect yourself to be suffering from this disorder, seeking professional help as soon as possible is vital; therapy is often successful at altering narcissistic thought patterns and behaviors for good.
5. They are violent
Karen is a commonly used name, but in the internet world it has come to symbolize much more. It is used as an insult against middle-aged white women with an asymmetrical bob hairstyle who are constantly demanding special treatment from managers or constantly ask “to speak to the manager”. They tend to be aggressive, ruthless and violent individuals that think their rights must come first regardless of others rights being violated.
Karen will stop at nothing to obtain what she wants – so if you stand in her way, beware. Karens tend to live isolated lives that make them very sensitive or fearful of people from other backgrounds – whether that means black children on playground or Hispanic workers in nearby restaurants.
Sister Karen Sames, OSB is one of these uncompromising Karen sisters. Born and raised in New Prague, MN she spent a decade as a nurse before deciding there had to be more out there than nursing alone. Now spending her days at St Paul’s Monastery as receptionist – as well as being beloved community member with 8 nieces/nephews/nieces & 14 grand nieces/nephews who all adore her dearly!
Sister Karen may be your sister, but she remains an unrepentant narcissist and bully in real life. Constantly complaining, shouting and demanding – she does not show any care or concern for others but herself. Although she hasn’t murdered anyone yet, Sister Karen has certainly destroyed many lives with her violent and destructive ways. So it’s time to find out if your mom is like Sister Karen!
