The Karen meme has gained steam over the last two years. It refers to white women who are seen as entitled in public.
Karen has long been used as a derogatory term for middle-aged white women, but it also often serves as an umbrella term for various traits that make them annoying and obnoxious. Examples include blonde bob Karen, racism Karen, soccer mom Karen and anti-vax Karen – just to name a few!
1. Trader Joe’s Karen
The Karen meme has become a worldwide trend on social media, featuring videos of entitled white women having outbursts and demanding to speak to managers. It’s an expression of the complex place white women occupy in America – often as victims of misogyny or gendered discrimination, holders of privilege, and perpetrators of racism.
A video of a middle-aged woman having an outburst at Trader Joe’s in North Hollywood went viral. She yelled at shoppers and the store employee after being asked to leave without wearing her mask, captured on video by bystander and shared on Twitter, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.
Karens have caused outrage online before. In 2013, KABC-TV reports that Karen threw her shopping basket and called employees and other customers “Democratic pigs” when they insisted she wear a face mask when entering the store.
Later, she apologized to the store manager for her outburst. She explained that she was mistaken for another customer and received special permission from the manager to enter without wearing a mask that day only.
According to KABC-TV, the woman’s outburst was due to her own error; however, she didn’t blame Trader Joe’s employees for it. When she called another store asking if she could enter without wearing a mask, an employee at that location replied no and escorted her away from the store.
Karens often display self-entitled attitudes and are incredibly irritating. At worst, their complaints may be made up or treated unfairly; furthermore, they tend to target working class individuals and may even have an anti-science or pseudoscience agenda.
2. Starbucks Karen
Starbucks has an unusual disciplinary procedure for their employees. If a barista is found to be disrespectful towards customers, they will be held accountable. While it may not always be the right thing to do, most times this issue will be addressed and addressed.
Amber Lynn Gilles, from San Diego in California, took a screenshot of her barista and posted it on Facebook. The photo quickly went viral, being shared thousands of times with the caption: Meet Lenin: the barista who refused me service because I wasn’t wearing a mask.
Karen syndrome has spread across social media, where entitled customers often mistreat service staff. When their orders can’t be filled quickly enough, customers become angry or aggressive and don’t realize other customers might need more time than expected due to a barista being overwhelmed with other orders.
In addition to Starbucks Karen, there are other notorious “Karens” on the internet. These include Karens who lean on cars or call the police on black people.
Karen is another notorious Karen for calling the cops on black birders in New York’s Central Park. This incident illustrates an entitled white woman throwing a temper tantrum to get what she wants.
Karens are typically white women, yet some may argue that the term is sexist or misogynistic. Unfortunately, these arguments take away much of the humor found in these slang terms.
3. McDonald’s Karen
Recently, we’ve seen an uptick in public attacks against service workers. This has given rise to videos online that go viral, often featuring humor and social commentary.
Karen,” also known by her nickname “Karen,” became famous in 2022 when she angrily confronted McDonald’s employees over the amount of ketchup on her hamburger. This video serves as a perfect example of why Karen has become such a catchall term for women who behave badly in public.
Does Karen qualify as a slur? Many women who call themselves Karen have told CNN they do not consider the name to be offensive at all, rather, it has just made them more uncomfortable in some ways.
Jessica Attiah, associate professor of media and culture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, believes this can be used to target specific behaviors. She points out that the term “Karen” is often used to denote white women who behave badly in public spaces.
She notes that this version of the meme has become especially popular in America, with people discussing its potential use to target specific behaviors. Recently, the hashtag #AndThenKarenSnapped gained momentum and is trending nationwide.
Some view the Karen meme as a means of criticizing white women who may be abusing their privilege at the expense of others. On the other hand, for others it serves as an opportunity to voice their opinion and be heard.
4. TikTok Karen
A TikToker made headlines online for handling an abrasive ‘Karen’ in a graceful manner. The video, featuring her rude and aggressive actions during their dispute over a parking spot, went viral online with over 4.7 million likes and 28,000 shares. Despite being insulted by Karen, this TikToker remained calm and respectful, rolling up his window and calling her “my mother” when she insulted him.
Influencers often utilize TikTok to promote their brands, but sometimes they take things too far. Karen Whybro, a women’s safety consultant, experienced online abuse after just two months on the platform – including doxxing and rage farming by people who leaked her personal information. Eventually she was banned from the app altogether.
Another example is Black TikTok creator Aunt Karen who uses her channel to combat racism online. She posts the names of individuals who use racial slurs or engage in discriminatory behavior, encouraging her followers to identify them and demand accountability.
Through these strategies, she was able to garner 1.5 million followers and use her influence to disband white supremacist groups.
Aunt Karen has had a difficult journey, and not without its challenges. She was doxxed by someone who leaked her personal details, and her videos were criticised by a cybersecurity expert for being too “proactive” in trying to identify individuals.
But she has persevered in her battles against racism with TikTok videos. Her motto: “the devil works hard, but we work harder” has earned her a place as an influential activist on the platform.
5. Applebee’s Karen
Internet slang refers to a Karen as a white woman between 30 and 50 who usually has kids and lives in the suburbs. She’s typically middle class, drives a minivan, is usually blonde, and sports an “Internet address” haircut: an asymmetrical bob with fringe.
Karen’s origins remain uncertain, but it has roots in slang from the late 1960s. At that time, Karen became a widely used girls’ name and peaked at number 3 in 1965.
Gwen Snyder, a Philadelphia community organizer, told me the name has been co-opted by white men to disparage black women.
Karen has also become associated with several stereotypes in addition to the slur. These include hypocrisy, rudeness toward working-class staff members and anti-science beliefs.
Though often humorous, these online cultures can have detrimental effects on real-life Karens. That is why we must ensure that this digital culture does not get out of hand.
One of the most iconic examples of a Karen meme online is Applebee’s. This restaurant chain is known for serving fat, out-of-shape middle aged white people who appear incredibly homely.
Karens who act entitled in public are nothing new; Amy Cooper calling the police on a black man at Central Park was just one example. Other Karens have gone viral for things like coughing on a bagel shop patron or calling the cops on an African American neighbor who wrote “Black Lives Matter” with chalk on his sidewalk.
