Recently, videos depicting white women as “Karens” have gone viral. These “Karens” often use their white privilege to put at risk people of color by calling the police on an innocent Black man for asking her to leash her dog.
These public freakouts have been criticized for their lack of context and potential exploitability. Furthermore, some critics contend that using Karen to refer to women who commit racially offensive acts has given them a de-personalized moniker, making them easier to doxx and target.
1. The Misrepresentation of Black People
The news media often struggles to accurately and sensitively portray people of all races, particularly when the story involves a group considered marginalized such as Black People. A recent study from Color Of Change revealed that Black adults were more likely than white or Hispanic adults to believe the news media doesn’t understand them because of their race or another demographic trait.
According to Media Matters’ report, New York City television stations give disproportionate coverage to crimes involving black suspects. For instance, WCBS, WNBC and WABC reported on murder, theft and assault cases with black victims at rates far higher than their actual arrest rates for these offenses.
Journalists or news networks should never condone these practices. Not only are they detrimental to those they claim to serve, but they can also make people of color feel as though their voices aren’t heard or valued. It is critical that we continue to expose these abuses and work to stop them.
Recent video footage showing a woman making an unfounded police complaint against an African-American man for allowing her dog to run loose in Central Park serves as evidence. She called 911 and accused him of threatening her life – an inaccurate representation of who the individual actually is and proof that Karens use their privilege to police black people.
Harassment and false accusations against Black people is not only hurtful, but it exacerbates the systemic racism already present in our society. Therefore, those misrepresenting others should be held accountable and penalized for their actions.
2. The Misrepresentation of Black Women
In some of the news coverage surrounding Karen Public Freakouts, black women are portrayed as either victims or “tattletales,” with little to no context provided. This lack of understanding leads to racism and misogyny if left unchecked.
Women have sometimes been labeled “Karen” when they complain about a child’s lemonade stand or being seated incorrectly at Applebee’s. This term has become associated with low-stakes interactions.
However, there have been several disturbing incidents where women have used the term to call police on innocent Black men while threatening him with her dog. For instance, Amy Cooper (known as “Central Park Karen”) reportedly called the cops on an innocent Black man while threatening him with her dog.
Some news coverage of Karen Public Freakouts has been criticized for being uncontextual and re-edited to shape the narrative. This is especially true of viral videos, which often lack context and can be easily edited to make it appear as though someone did something terrible.
One major concern with some news coverage of Karen Public Freakouts is its failure to confront the larger issue of white privilege. This was especially evident in September, when an older white woman made a costly error and dropped her luggage on a younger black female passenger – leading her to verbally abuse her for it.
Unfortunately, the media often fails to pay much attention to these incidents and leaves black people struggling on their own. It is essential for the media to be more open and honest about these happenings and underscore that racial bias plays a role when someone calls the police on an innocent Black person who isn’t guilty of any crimes.
3. The Misrepresentation of Asian People
News coverage of Asian people can misrepresent their stories and shape how they are perceived. Studies have demonstrated that media representation of Asian-Americans can have an adverse effect on their wellbeing, leading to stereotypes about them that may negatively impact their sense of self-worth and identity.
News media are an important source of information for decision-makers and the public alike, covering topics such as political candidates, elections, policies and more. Furthermore, it influences how individuals view other people in society. To ensure that news media accurately reflects our society’s demographics, journalists should examine how they depict Asian-Americans in their reporting.
Chia-Chen Yu’s 2004 study revealed that the media often fails to portray Asian people in a positive light. They examined news articles published by Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report between Jan. 1, 2000 and Aug. 31, 2008.
Asian-Americans often face the model minority stereotype. This portrayal of them as hardworking, successful and well-behaved may seem attractive at first glance; however, this stereotype can actually do more harm than good by creating a racial hierarchy and weakening solidarity among other racial groups.
In the media, this model minority stereotype can be particularly detrimental as it restricts opportunities for Asian-Americans and prevents them from being considered for various roles. For instance, an Asian-American actor or actress might be typecast as either a martial artist or subservient figure.
Another stereotype which may be harmful to Asian people is the racialized stereotyping of their genders. This can be especially detrimental to Asian women as it could lead them to believe their genders are inferior and should be suppressed.
4. The Misrepresentation of Latino People
There are numerous ways that news coverage of Karen Public Freakouts can be problematic. Notably, Latino people have been misrepresented in these stories.
One way Latino people are often misrepresented in news coverage of Karen Public Freakouts is through the use of derogatory and misleading terms. These expressions create a general impression that immigrants pose a threat, often linked to fear of deportation.
Research also revealed that non-gendered, racialized depictions of immigrants were frequently invoked in these articles, which can have an extremely damaging effect on Latinos due to their potential to foster feelings of threat or intimidation within communities (Rodriguez 2007; McConnell 2011).
Another way that Latino people are often misrepresented is by not being included at all. This applies to both documented and undocumented Latinos alike.
Recent study by BMSG examined news coverage of immigration issues in California newspapers between 2010 and 2016. They discovered that government officials dominated coverage on these matters, with only 14% of articles featuring immigrant representation.
These articles often made derogatory and inaccurate remarks about Latinos, labeling them essential workers, farmers or laborers. This is despite the fact that Latinos represent one of the most entrepreneurial populations in America and have much to contribute to our nation.
Furthermore, these articles often attribute demographic dynamics as the cause of the massive influx of immigrants into America. This fuels a common perception that Latinos pose a demographic threat and will drain our resources and pollute our culture, which could prove disastrous for the community.
5. The Misrepresentation of Asian People
Media representations of Asian people have changed from negative Yellow Peril stereotypes in the past to more positive model minority stereotypes. This shift has had a profound effect on how we think about Asians in the media, impacting how Asians see themselves and their role within society.
One of the more controversial trends in recent history is known as “Karen,” which highlights a type of middle-class white woman who exhibits behaviors indicative of privilege – like being anti-vaccine or demanding to speak to a service manager. It serves to highlight how difficult it can be for these women to navigate as victims of misogyny and gendered discrimination, holders of privilege, and perpetrators of racism.
Karen trend has emerged in response to viral videos showing women refusing face masks during coronavirus pandemic. These videos, shared online under the tagline “Public Freakouts,” have been criticized for distilling women’s lives into video fragments that leave them vulnerable to doxxing and harassment.
These viral incidents also highlight the persistent racial prejudices many Americans still hold towards Asians, even as they experience the highest rates of coronavirus in America. According to a survey by Stop AAPI Hate, nearly 3,800 people self-reported incidents of racist or anti-Asian behavior between March 2020 and February 2021.
Though Asian Americans reported the majority of these incidents, some weren’t. The study noted that Asians were more likely than any other racial group to be the target of hate incidents and targeted more frequently by individuals with lower educational levels.
