“Don’t be a Karen; be a Beth”
Many people use this slang phrase to mock women who act out publicly in public settings, yet its source lies within racism, misogyny and privilege.
Karen first began gaining popularity in 2020 after white women in viral videos were labeled with it and caused much debate over whether or not it was racist.
Meaning
Be a Beth and not Karen is an expression that urges individuals not to become annoying people who complain constantly about everything around them, but instead strive to become someone with positive messages who always has something positive to share with those around them.
Karen is a middle-aged women (typically blonde) who goes out of her way to make everyone else unhappy, whether that means criticizing something small or large that has come into her life or simply complaining that their favorite parking space was replaced with handicapped spaces and ramps.
However, such odd behavior is more than just display: it could put her at serious risk and even land her behind bars.
Luckily, she doesn’t need to worry too often about this kind of stuff – as evidenced in a viral video showing her with her trusted pink polo shirt, cute pup and trusty teddy bear companions.
Karen has long been a name used among middle-aged white females, and it has long been used as an internet-wide slang term to refer to bizarre behavior. While the name Karen has certainly made its mark and generated controversy online – for example Philadelphia community organizer Gwen Snyder recently tweeted that some white boys had co-opted it into code for bickering behaviour; although its clever name could also serve as an indicator of potentially problematic behaviors.
Origin
Don’t Be A Karen Be a Beth is an increasingly popular internet meme that refers to middle-aged white women with “Speak to the Manager” haircuts who frequently complain to anyone they come into contact with about anything and everything.
Karens can often be described as being entitled and ignorant. Additionally, this persona is commonly known as minivan-driving white moms and are commonly found on social media – becoming the focus of viral videos.
These people can often be classified as aggressive racists; their hairstyle, however, distinguishes them as “Karens.” Specifically, their signature hairdo – an asymmetrical blunt bob – gives these people their name.
“Twitter Troll” is a term popularly used on Black Twitter to refer to white middle-aged women with “Speak to the Manager” bobs who constantly complains about everything to everyone they can find.
These people can usually be found in videos and are identified by wearing long, white blouses with deep cleavage and purple skirts with brown belts featuring silver buckles adorned with purple bows. Furthermore, their black boots stand out.
These individuals often wear black hats with brown bands and long grey coats; their green eyes make them easy to recognize.
Gabe and Karen, newlyweds themselves, invite Beth and Tom for a short stay at their Martha’s Vineyard house. While Gabe knows both women from before, he remains neutral regarding any possibility of romantic interest between Beth and Gabe.
Both David and Beth are initially taken aback when they meet Beth, who is thin and pretty. Soon thereafter they realize she has an amusing sense of humor and enjoys spending time with her friends.
Karen strives to impress Beth with her cooking abilities and travel experiences, including recounting their recent visit to Italy where they had dinner together. Unfortunately, neither subject engages Beth, yet Karen attempts to elaborate so her friends will accept her.
Context
Karen is an unhappy person who always complains and can be difficult to deal with, while Beth is always sweet and pleasant, never complaining or showing displeasure – making Beth an amazing partner and creating great happiness in all her relationships.
This phrase has quickly become a trending term on the Internet, often being used to refer to individuals who constantly complain about things around them – including tiny details like apples not quite red enough or even something as minor as a stop sign blocking the sun for three minutes each day in her kitchen.
As this term becomes more widespread, people have begun using it more seriously – including calling the police on black neighbors or engaging in road rage incidents themselves.
Alicia Sanchez Gill, an advocate for women, asserts that the term is rooted in black American internet culture and serves as an attempt at finding humor in real-world racism and oppression.
She believes it’s an effective way to bring awareness of how our behavior impacts other people; but also acknowledges it can be annoying.
Finding answers can be both frustrating and perplexing if you have never come across them before, which is why it is crucial that you understand their context so as to make informed decisions regarding the answers you select.
Research by this team indicates that the meaning of words depends on their context of use. Highly ambiguous words like hammer and bowl tend to be understood correctly when used in noun context before verb context; however, this doesn’t hold true for low-ambiguity words; this study marks the first evidence of how ambiguity affects interpretation in contexts unrelated to manipulable objects or actions.
Example
“Karen” refers to an unpleasant, often rude woman known for her lack of consideration and rudeness. First coined by comedian Dane Cook, it quickly became an internet slang term widely used as a pun.
Karens are known for engaging in small acts of racism. For instance, they may call the police on black neighbors, oppose vaccination and engage in other petty behaviors that annoy others.
These women tend to be white women who use their privilege for personal gain, often being quite judgmental towards others and perhaps being quite manipulative as well.
Karens tend to be loud, opinionated, and quick to take offense at anything they don’t like. Some can even be disruptive by calling the police on black people for minor offenses.
Act 2, Scene 2 depicts an emotional domestic scene between Beth, Karen, and Gabe (when Beth meets them for lunch) which shows their marriages are still strong; Beth feels more distant from Tom who works both as an attorney and food writer – she hopes he may return her affections in time to meet again soon.
But as the story develops, we notice Beth’s values shifting dramatically. When speaking with Gabe about a dinner they had in Italy, she seems disinterested and grunts frequently to indicate her discontentment; although she never gives an explanation as to why this behavior occurs; nonetheless, we know something must be amiss.
Beth and David remain married, yet she no longer has much interest in painting. Instead, her focus has shifted onto other activities and she no longer speaks openly with her friends about her life as she once did.
Beth has changed, becoming less judgmental and controlling as well as less honest with her husband than before. While Beth does not perceive herself to have been an inadequate wife or mother, she does feel she may not have been an impressive artist.
