The internet is filled with angry, dramatic white women known as Karens or Kens who go viral for spitting, cursing or pointing guns at people. But why?
The root cause of substance abuse and mental health problems often lie within a combination of social, economic, and racial discrimination.
1. A Black man walking his dog in Central Park
Amy Cooper, a white woman, calling police on Christian Cooper – who is black – for asking her to leash his dog has been widely criticized as racist. They were walking in Central Park’s Ramble section when dogs are required to be on leashes; it has become one of the most-watched videos online.
On Memorial Day, Christian Cooper captured footage of an incident with his camera that was posted online by Facebook user Christian Cooper. As he was bird-watching in the park, Amy Cooper approached him with her dog and asked her to put it on its leash.
He complained that the dog was “tearing through the plantings” and needed it on a leash due to park regulations. When she refused, he pulled out some treats for him and began shouting at her.
After the video went viral, it was labeled a “Karen incident.” Many began linking racist behaviors by “Karens” such as Amy Cooper to systemic racism and police brutality – particularly in 2020 when activists closely connected the Karen incident and George Floyd’s murder.
Some claim the Karen phenomenon is an important tool for activism, providing insight into systemic racism and discrimination in America. On the other hand, some criticize its exaggerated and misogynistic portrayal.
Some argue the videos reflect toxic stereotypes of female hysteria and have become an obsession with women misbehaving within patriarchal stereotypes. No matter why Karen and Ken has become so popular, it’s essential to be aware of its implications and how it’s used.
The term Karen, which translates to ‘white woman weaponizing her privilege’, has been used to denote middle-class white women who feel entitled enough to call the manager when feeling upset. It has also been connected with other sexist tropes such as women using their emotions or tears for manipulation of men. Ultimately, the Karen narrative smacks of misogyny and aggressively shames women rather than men who may be having a difficult day.
2. A Black woman in a grocery store
A video shared to social media shows a woman in her mid-40s trying to leave a Kroger parking lot when she claims a white customer stopped her car and verbally harassed her. Shaneeka Montgomery-Strickland recorded the incident and posted it on her Facebook page; she described it as “about the craziest thing” she’s ever experienced and blamed racism for what transpired.
On social media, a video has gone viral of a woman in her late 30s being verbally assaulted by a man outside of a grocery store. The video was first posted on February 29 and has amassed millions of views since.
This video is the latest in a series of videos showing people becoming angry inside grocery stores when asked to wear face masks by staffers. One woman branded the incident “worse than communism” and accused the store of committing ‘war crimes’.
Although the video is brief and it may be difficult to discern exactly what happened, the victim’s statement in it is unmistakable. She states that she was exiting her car when a white woman and her child stood behind her car. When she tried to get out of her vehicle, however, they blocked her from leaving.
She then dialed the police, who have since been alerted to the incident. Pictures have been released and she is wanted on charges of assaulting a public figure, harassment and violating her civil rights.
The attacker, who is unidentified in the video, appears to have a child with her and was wearing a bright pink shirt. She stands at approximately 5 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
This video serves as an extreme illustration of how racist Karens can make an already stressful situation even worse. The woman featured was visibly anxious and close to tears at the time of her encounter; it’s understandable that these emotions would come flooding over her; many Black women experience this when feeling unsafe in unfamiliar spaces. Unfortunately, oftentimes there are no witnesses or resources available when these incidents take place.
3. A Black man walking his dog in a mall
The internet has been abuzz with the video of a Black man walking his dog through a mall. This clip caught the attention of social media users worldwide and has since been labeled an international trend by multiple news sites. In addition to the video, there are multiple photos of this same man browsing various stores looking for deals.
It’s quite intriguing that the mall manager has yet to be reached for comment. Furthermore, without a website, it could still be that footage was shot there. Nonetheless, the video is highly entertaining and well worth checking out.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time a mall has experienced public embarrassment over such behavior. In 2001, for instance, the Evergreen mall in suburban Chicago was forced to halt their pet walking program after complaints and threats of boycotts. Thus, mall management has turned to video surveillance in an effort to control such conduct.
4. A Black man in a restaurant
A Black man was recorded being verbally abused by Karen in a restaurant, who’s tirades were so demeaning that he had to record the entire exchange. In the video, Karen begins her tirade by declaring that Black women are “destroying this country” and it’s up to men like him to put them in their place.
She uses racial slurs and other derogatory language, appearing to lose focus of what she’s discussing. At one point, she asks Nicholas Wilkerson if he is Black and replies with: “Yes.”
According to The New York Post, she asserted that Black people must be held in check because “they’re going to mess it all up,” while also telling him he must “put these black chicks in their place.” When told that he can’t discuss race with her, she simply shrugged and moved on.
The white woman is unaware that she’s being recorded, so she continues her rant about Black women without pausing. As a result, she makes an unhinged call to police about the man and then repeats her “Scary Black Man” narrative as she recounts what transpired to her.
In a case similar to this one, an intellectually disabled man was held hostage at a South Carolina restaurant for five years by Bobby Paul Edwards, who made him work more than 100 hours per week and frequently beat him with a belt. On one occasion, Edwards even dipped metal tongs into hot grease and burned Smith’s neck when he failed to quickly deliver fried chicken to the buffet, court documents show.
In 2018, a federal judge ordered the restaurant’s owner to pay Smith more than $500,000 for abuse suffered at their hands. According to authorities, Edwards beat Smith with his belt, shouted at him and used racial slurs in order to degrade and humiliate him. A relative of Smith had reported this abuse back in 2014 when authorities were first made aware of it. Smith was removed from the establishment and placed under adult protective services of South Carolina.
