There has been a dramatic increase in the number of international arrests of entitled, rude and racist Karens. They appear everywhere from airplanes to school board meetings to dog parks.
They’re loud, aggressive and openly disrespectful of others. They don’t hesitate to be fully racist and abusive when needed.
Asia
Racist Karens have earned a bad reputation across the country for their racial profiling, misogynistic behavior and general lack of civility. Their actions have become publically shamed, leading to greater awareness about this issue and an uptick in activism.
These encounters are often documented on video and shared with the world. They can serve as catalysts for change, calls to action, and sometimes financial or professional repercussions for those involved.
These incidents have been documented in stores and public places, from subways to dog parks. Some even made headlines in mainstream media outlets.
One case, a White woman named “Dog Park Karen” was recorded in Brooklyn telling Black people to remain within their neighborhood during an argument over a dog. This year’s spate of White people trying to police Black people in public settings has served as a wake-up call for many and the fact that these racist confrontations are being documented on video is an important step towards change.
But why do these encounters happen? According to Lillian Glass, a communications and body language expert, Karens and Kens often show anger that is unrelated to other issues, according to their interactions.
She noted that some people might be frustrated with the demands of mask mandates or other societal issues like furloughs, layoffs and lockdowns. However, others may simply be angry at being reduced to second class citizen status, according to She.
A 47-year-old woman named Madeline Barker was arrested and charged with a hate crime in New York City this month after police say she pepper sprayed four people at a park and hurled racist insults at them. Additionally, two people are suspected of physical assault from months prior.
Police are treating this incident as a hate crime, though they are still actively investigating the woman’s background. She is not currently living in the city and was not identified by media outlets.
An identical incident occurred in Atlanta, when a group of women were shot at the spa. It has been an especially trying week for Asian Americans who have endured other racially motivated attacks and rallies around them in cities nationwide. In addition to these shootings, a woman from Queens, New York was fatally shot during an argument over duck sauce.
Europe
Karen has become synonymous with entitled, rude and racist white women. Popular in viral clips and memes, the term has come to represent those who appear to think they are above society’s rules.
Typically, the person in question appears to be needy and possessive, as well as generally aggressive and unfriendly. Regardless of gender or race, they tend to be quite abusive towards service workers for no apparent reason at all.
They tend to shout and curse at others, especially people of color. It is not uncommon for them to shout racism and sexism at service workers or anyone else they come across while out in public.
It is not unusual for them to use their anger and rage against others, leading to physical attacks or threats of violence. With each passing day, these forms of sexism and racism seem to become more frequent.
Denise Dudley, a workplace consultant and author from San Luis Obispo, California, believes this behavior is caused by society’s indoctrination of women to suppress their emotions. Men are taught to be strong and decisive while women are encouraged to be weak and sensitive.
Women using their anger as a weapon against others is directly the result of this sexism and racism. Thus, it should come as no surprise that this type of behavior is being called out on social media and in the mainstream news media.
Karen’s rise has been particularly evident in Europe, where there have been a number of arrests of entitled, rude and racist women. Many incidents were recorded on video and quickly went viral online.
One of the more upsetting cases involves a woman in SoHo who harassed a Black boy. This incident was captured by camera crew and went viral.
She then accused the boy of taking her phone. When he denied it, she became very irate and tackled him to the ground. Following a short car chase, police were eventually able to apprehend her and take her off the streets.
North America
Recently, a wave of entitled, rude and racist Karens have been arrested around the world. In America alone, they made headlines for refusing to let a Black mother leave a grocery store parking lot because her son was standing on a shelf; falsely accusing a Black bird-watcher of trying to assault them in Central Park.
Karens are typically white middle class women who feel highly entitled. They usually sport short blonde hair and enjoy shouting at people, complaining constantly, and demanding that they be given whatever they desire. Karens tend to be nosy and snoopy as well, with an obsession for their social status which they believe allows them to exploit it to their advantage.
They possess a sense of entitlement which they use to their advantage in all areas of life. They tend to be very angry and live in an echo chamber where they believe everyone else should be like them. Unfortunately, this lack of openness towards reality means they often struggle with issues involving people of color.
These individuals are dangerous and show little regard for others. They will use any means necessary, including violence, to gain their desired goals.
In addition to using their rights to bully those they don’t like, some white people will also call the police on people of color when they have done nothing wrong. This is something people of color take very seriously and take no for an answer.
Unfortunately, some individuals lack the resources to defend themselves and can become highly confrontational and aggressive. Furthermore, they tend to lack all sense of humor, leaving you with a total lack of understanding.
That is what makes them so dangerous; they believe they know what is right and wrong and therefore everyone should follow suit. Because they have never faced real hardship themselves, they see no reason why others should suffer when someone else can handle things better than them. This mindset can lead to disastrous results in the long run.
Ultimately, they are a reflection of First World culture and have no understanding of what it’s like to live in poverty or hardship. Consequently, they lack empathy for other people, making their lives difficult for anyone who looks or acts differently from them.
South America
In South America, racism is a serious problem and people are being arrested for harming others. Unfortunately, these entitled, rude and racist Karens often lack common decency or tolerance towards anyone who doesn’t look like them or share the same culture as them.
These seemingly innocent individuals can cause great harm to those around them. Delusional women often believe they can do whatever they please as long as the authorities approve. Furthermore, these individuals often possess an immense ego, believing they are superior to colleagues or even other people in the world.
Unfortunately, there have been many instances in which such behaviors have resulted in the death of others. Therefore, it is essential to be alerted to those at risk.
Though the majority of these people are white, some have been arrested as Karens and found guilty for their actions. These individuals have been found guilty of various offenses such as assault, harassment, and aggravated assault.
In today’s climate of white privilege, the “Karen” phenomenon is especially pertinent. According to Hank Stuever (2020), Karen serves to “accentuate, ridicule and mock the recurring performances of white privilege within social justice spaces” (Stuever).
She displays entitlement by demanding customer service – for instance, calling managers when an inconvenience occurs, refusing to wear a mask while in public or being vaccinated, or making anti-vaxx claims – which can have an adverse impact on already overextended and exploited workers. At this critical juncture in anti-black state violence and the vulnerability of essential (often black and Latinx) workers, it is crucial to be aware of these recurring patterns.
These “entitled, rude and racist Karens” have caused great harm to others and been arrested in many countries around the world. These incidents have been widely publicized as reminders of how far we still need to progress when it comes to race relations and police brutality.
