The “Karen” character is an internet icon used to denote white women who act rude, entitled or inappropriately in public. It’s often associated with the signature “Can I speak to the manager?” haircut, as noted by Know Your Meme.
The exact origins of Karen are uncertain, but a senior editor at Know Your Meme believes it likely comes from Dane Cook’s comedy routine. According to him, using innocuous nicknames like Karen for women who appear to be racist is problematic.
1. Karen Wants to Talk to the Manager
Karen is a popular character that depicts an entitled and annoying middle-aged white woman who acts out in public. They often say, “Can I speak to the manager?”
Karen is a term with multiple origins that often comes with a spiky side-swept haircut a la Kate Gosselin from the hit reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8. According to Know Your Meme’s senior editor, Karen is used as an insulting term for middle-aged white women in order to demonstrate their entitlement.
Schimkowitz notes that the Karen meme has been used in a variety of contexts which could be perceived as racist. For instance, women who unjustly call the police on Black people have been labeled with this expression. Additionally, it was employed to describe those refusing to wear face coverings during COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently causing an outbreak of mumps and measles worldwide.
Some of the most popular posts on /r/PublicFreakout feature dramatic, hysterical Karens disputing with service staff in stores or restaurants. One video shows a woman screaming at a Red Lobster employee for refusing to serve her when covered, while another video features an angry “Karen” demanding half of what she believes are her due tips after being masked.
It has become increasingly common during the COVID-19 pandemic in America for women to refuse wearing facial coverings even where they are required by state law. Social media platforms have witnessed hundreds of videos depicting this trend.
This behavior is associated with racial privilege and classism, yet it can also be used for political commentary and activism. For instance, the Wall of Moms bloc in Portland’s current protest movement uses Karen as a way to critique those who use their privilege to ignore systemic racism.
2. Karen Wants to Talk to the Police
The “Karen” meme, which has gained in popularity in recent years, refers to a certain type of middle-class white woman who uses her privilege to demand that her needs are met in public spaces. Karens have been associated with behaviors like demanding to “speak to the manager” when demanding service industry workers’ wages be met, being anti-vaccination and engaging in racist microaggressions.
In the US, a new form of Karen slang has emerged in response to the coxavirus pandemic. People who refuse to wear face coverings to protect others have been labeled “Karens.” This reflects how disproportionately affected those from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds have been by this outbreak; Karens are seen as protecting themselves by not wearing protective gear.
Karens have been known to throw fits over their masks while shopping at Target stores and Red Lobster staff about CDC-recommended vaccinations on Mother’s Day. Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot even referred to her press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a tweet as a “Karen”.
Though its exact origins remain uncertain, there is a good chance it originated from an episode of Dane Cook’s 2005 comedy show. In that show, Karen, a clumsy female character named Karen, wears a side-swept bob haircut with spikey hair at the back.
Schimkowitz notes that other alliterative names have been given to white women who call the police on Black Americans out of entitlement, such as “Barbecue Becky,” “Permit Patty” and “Cornerstore Caroline,” but “Central Park Karen” seems to have become the go-to designation.
3. Karen Wants to Talk to the Manager About Vaccines
Karen has become a term commonly used to denote an upper middle class white woman. These individuals are typically thought of as acting from privilege, such as demanding to speak to the manager or engaging in racist micro-aggressions, according to a recent BBC report.
Though not a new trend, the term “Karen” has taken on an increasingly negative connotation over recent years as people associate it with various negative behaviors like asking people to touch their hair or opposing vaccination.
Some on social media have criticized the term “Karen” as sexist and others see it as a symbol of white supremacy, even though most Karens do not fit into these stereotypical molds.
It’s possible that “Karen” was originally an obscure slang expression that became adopted into wider internet slang usage. This would explain why Dane Cook famously joked in 2005 about a girl wanting to be called “Karen” instead of her real name.
Dr. I.M. Nick, a nomenclature scholar and former president of the American Name Society, believes this trend may have been spurred on by social media.
She noted that names can be easily shortened or abbreviated to create more recognizable slang. Furthermore, people tend to use shorter names more frequently than longer ones.
It’s possible that “Karen” slang originated from this diminution of “Karen.” This could be because people tend to use language familiar to them, or simply due to people trying to describe different things with the same word. On the other hand, it could have come from a culturally specific association with rude entitlement.
4. Karen Wants to Talk to the Manager About the Sun
Karen has been a buzzword in social media circles for some time. And with good reason: Karen is an industry giant in technology. Other names associated with Karen include ecommerce and customer service. Regardless, 2017 has been a banner year for Pittsburgh-based social media maven Karen; from her new company name to its sleek logo, Karen’s presence has been felt throughout town. Additionally, the team launched several initiatives on social media to boost employee engagement and morale while adhering to their winning culture of collaboration and customer-first principles despite having more staff members than before.
5. Karen Wants to Talk to the Manager About the Police
Karen has become a derogatory term to describe white women perceived as acting entitled in public. It often precedes other adjectives that indicate an excessively whiny individual who demands things beyond what is expected or acceptable behavior.
Recently, videos of Karen public freakouts have become increasingly popular on the internet. Some are so hilarious that we can’t help but laugh; others raise such controversial issues that we find ourselves wondering what exactly that term actually means.
Some of these viral Karens have gained notoriety because they’re being accused of racism or having an entitled mindset. But one commonality among all of them is that they tend to be middle-class white women who take offense when told what to do and use their privilege to express it publicly.
One of the most infamous Karens was Amy Cooper, who went viral for calling police on a Black birdwatcher in Central Park. But this trend has been around longer than that and many real Karens tell CBS 2 Morning Insider Tim McNicholas they hope it fades away soon.
Recent Karens include a woman who complained about her water not being hot enough and another who expressed displeasure with how a service staff member spoke to her. Both these women were during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, yet both refused to wear face coverings when asked.
Jonathan Schimkowitz, a law professor, believes the label “Karen” does not accurately reflect the actions these women take. He believes it has more to do with power dynamics in these scenarios that may be hazardous.
