Everyday, new Karen videos surface online that document middle-aged white women throwing tantrums in grocery stores or online communities regarding wearing coronavirus masks again, with public shaming taking place by way of the r/fuckyoukaren subreddit.
Memes can be dangerous, particularly if they become self-fulfilling prophecies. The anti-Karen movement must move beyond insults and pitying remarks.
The Problem
Karen refers to a class of women who are subjected to an ongoing online ritual of humiliation. Victimized for perceived misbehavior, these Karen are targeted and videotaped while being publicly shamed and criticised by members of society who see themselves as virtue-frailing virtuous; with lives and reputations destroyed systematically as part of this bloodsport known as modern day witch hunting; it poses a very real problem indeed.
First step to combating Karen hate: stop calling it that. Call it what it really is — misogyny, white arrogance and privilege — not something which can be solved with memes or new slurs (even those which have been co-opted by feminists to defend against attacks from “Karen-haters”).
As some have suggested, this issue cannot be solved through curbing free speech. Many women fear speaking up about their experiences for fear of being labeled as Karens; this presents schools and workplaces with serious concerns where women need to raise them.
Tragically, Karens have become victims of an online culture of woman-hatred that began on Reddit and has spread throughout social media platforms like Twitter. This movement demonizes middle-aged women who challenge the status quo or demand to have their voices heard – showing its destructive power with every post demonizing such women on Reddit or Twitter threads.
Furthermore, progressives face significant difficulty in dealing with Karen-hating activists; instead of providing clear explanations as to why such behaviors are harmful and proposing ways of creating a fairer and more equal world, instead they have descended into witch hunts and Salem-esque denunciations campaigns which do not focus on combatting inequality or furthering any political agenda.
It’s long past time for the cult of Karen hatred to be shown for what it truly is – an empty rhetorical tactic which ignores real issues facing society for over half a century. Recasting this entire debate requires changing perspectives and showing how, with proper leadership, real problems can be tackled effectively and quickly.
The Solution
No matter how painful it may be to say so, more anti-Karen memes aren’t the solution. While they might offer entertainment value, their true impact is much more negative and dangerous. We should instead call out such actions for what they are: racist, entitled and white privilege driven actions from women whose behaviors reduce them to meme status. Colloquial terms need no longer serve to shield us from sexism that remains alive in society today.
Problematic with the term “Karen” is that its stigma causes some individuals to use it as code words for racism and arrogance, particularly on social media and other online communities such as r/fuckyoukaren subreddit which uses this name to demonize and harass women who exhibit any type of entitled behavior by labeling them with “Karen”, then publicly posting their names and photos online; effectively forcing them to carry this label like a stigmatized badge of shame.
Karens are notorious for their entitled and ignorant behaviors – from approaching managers for information they perceive to being inferior, to calling police on individuals they perceive to be lower-status; calling the manager themselves, to calling police on anyone perceived to be lower-status than themselves. Furthermore, these women often cry false victimhood by exaggerating or falsifying claims against those with greater power than themselves for abuse or mistreatment they claim occurred against them.
Recently, several videos featuring Karens acting in an extremely uncivil way have gone viral, sparking widespread concern. One such video shows a white woman becoming violent upon being asked to control her dog in Central Park; she became known as “Central Park Karen,” ultimately endangering the life of a Black man nearby and further labeled as such by this video and its subsequent labeling as Karen. These incidents are most disturbing indeed!
Twitterverse users frequently shame Karens by calling out their racism and white entitlement, leading them to change their ways. We need to put an end to this practice. A key step towards doing this would be stopping using the term “Karen” when referring to these individuals; instead we should call out their racist actions in an unequivocal fashion to force a shift.
The Scam
Karens are no stranger to being the target of cruel jokes. But unlike Beckys, Debbies or Chads, Karen has become so interwoven into popular culture that any time someone named Karen does something harmful – or, some might argue just goes about their day-to-day business – internet memes and videos become viral, publicly humiliating them for what ever reason. There’s even a Reddit group dedicated to public shaming called “F*ck You Karen”, with over one million members.
Over the last two years, Karen has come to represent an entitled middle-aged white woman with an asymmetrical pixie cut who overreacts at trivial matters such as asking to speak to the manager or refusing to wear a coronavirus mask. Karen often calls police on black people as evidenced by videos featuring sub-Karens such as Officer Karen, Central Park Karen and California Karen calling 911 on black people; other obnoxious versions include Pool Patrol Paula (formerly “Dog Park Debbie”) and “Cornerstore Caroline,” all women displaying their privilege while acting like they own it all.
Due to these widespread depictions of real-life Karens as annoying people in media representations, many real Karens have taken offense at being depicted as such in media coverage. There’s an important distinction between being Karen in meme form and actually existing as real life; one must recognize the former can be taken as a joke while being real is not taken as such.
But this distinction is fast dissolving. With the virality of this meme, some Karens are beginning to push back against its portrayal, citing racism and white supremacy for calling out their entitled behavior. Others, however, refuse to back down, using “Karen” to justify their own actions, including one tweet widely condemned for being “reverse racism.” To ensure we maintain clarity between what this meme represents and who it targets – or else the thin line between real Karen and fictional Karen could vanish altogether; something which would significantly worsen matters for society at large.
The Sub-Karens
At a time when memes have become an easy and widespread way to mock stereotypes like Kyle, Becky, and Chad, it should come as no shock that Karen is also now the target of ridicule through online fads like bash-the-Karen fads. But what has shocked people is its severity – real women with the birth name Karen have begun experiencing serious consequences from harassment on both social media sites like Reddit as well as in real life from strangers online and offline. This trend must stop.
“Karen” has become synonymous with a certain type of white woman: middle-aged, privileged and entitled. A typical Karen tends to react strongly when faced with minor inconveniences or signs of disorder and is quick to call the police or seek approval from managers whenever she feels she must. Furthermore, Karen can become very aggressive in asserting her perceived rights while using her authority over those around her to manipulate those she interacts with.
It has also resulted in disturbing viral videos, including Central Park Karen. Amy Cooper made waves when she shouted at an African American man to leash Amy’s dog and claimed she felt threatened with her life, an accusation many saw as racist ranting. It has received millions of views and provoked outrage – prompting many Twitter users to use #FindKaren for tweets in her search.
Many have been supportive of the waiter in the video; however, others have taken it upon themselves to identify and punish “Karens.” As a result, women with legal names beginning with Karen have been subjected to online shaming as well as harassment in person from strangers; with some reporting even receiving hostile or intimidating remarks or messages.
No personal name should be turned into an insult without harming those who carry it, yet Karen stands as a prime example of personal names used as tools of stereotype creation. When attacks against real Karens are made as jokes against them it does nothing but cause irreparable damage – it is time we put an end to this practice!
