Karen is a derogatory term used as slang to denigrate white women perceived as entitled or demanding beyond what is expected.
It is often depicted in memes featuring white women using their privilege to demand what they want.
In 2020, the term “Angry White Woman” became increasingly popular online as a means of denouncing angry, racist white women. At that time, racial tensions and police brutality were on the rise across America.
Pejorative
Karen is a pejorative term used as slang to refer to any white woman perceived as entitled or demanding beyond what is expected. This could include someone with an inflated sense of power who demands to speak directly to managers or authority figures who can get her what she wants, or even someone harassing service industry workers, for example.
Karen has become an increasingly common slang term in recent years, often associated with generic female names like Becky or Stacy. These generic names have been transformed into derogatory epithets for certain types of women that often poke fun at racist or other problematic behavior.
These slang terms also carry a sexist undertone, an issue brought to light by feminist and anti-racist social media activists such as Sun and Dr. Andre Brock from Georgia Tech.
Schimkowitz believes that using slang to address problematic behavior is one thing, but using an insulting term such as Karen is another entirely. In her piece, she asserts that Karen represents a form of privilege-based racism since it can be carried out with relative ease and without fear of punishment or backlash.
Recently, Karen has taken on a new form. This version refuses to wear face coverings in shops and doesn’t believe in quarantine, considering the pandemic an overblown hoax.
The trend has been driven by the success of Black Twitter, making these words more accessible. There are various potential origins for the term as well.
Attiah speculates that the term may have originated as a Black meme used to derogatorily describe white women who gossip on kids at lemonade stands. She goes on to suggest it could also have become associated with culturally established notions of rude entitlement.
This slang term has become increasingly popular on social media platforms like Twitter and Tik Tok, where it’s been a hot topic of conversation among millennials and young adults. According to AI writing tool QuillBot’s analysis, “slang words” topped the list of most Googled slang words in 20 states this year.”
Symbolic
Karen is a colloquial term used to denote an overly demanding and racist woman. It may also refer to someone who exhibits signs of rigidity or uptightness.
The term has been around since the 1960s, though it did not experience a major comeback until the 2010s.
Recently, many have begun labeling those who are overly demanding and racist “Karens.” This slang term is typically used to refer to white women who exhibit strictness and uptight behavior.
These individuals feel they have the right to dictate their own terms and are typically very judgmental towards others. They may exhibit extreme uptightness and make dealing with them a hassle.
Women tend to become particularly volatile. They can become quite angry quickly and hysterical as well.
According to researchers, this may be because children lack socialization on how best to express their anger.
Men, in particular, tend to be taught how to be assertive and decisive while women are encouraged to remain quiet. As a result, both can become very easily enraged when mistreated or neglected.
It’s no shock that the term “Karen” has come to symbolize white supremacy, especially in 2020. Initially used as a playful joke when Covid-19 spread, but as awareness of the virus and national conversations around Black Lives Matter increased, its connotations have taken on an increasingly bitter tone.
In the spring of 2020, a “Karen” phenomenon emerged on social media platforms. What began as amusing jokes about an anti-vaxxer mom who “wants to speak to the manager” evolved into symbolic representation of racialized fear and anxiety across America.
The name “Karen” derives from the Karen people of Myanmar, a small ethnic group who have long been rice farmers in wet, irrigated fields or hill fields. Unfortunately, their livelihood has become increasingly threatened due to changes in climate, logging industry operations and other external forces.
Derogatory
Karen has become a disparaging term for middle-aged white women who are racist, selfish and always in an unpleasant mood. It’s often used to ridicule these individuals when they engage in heated arguments about vaccines in public places.
Recently, the term has gained widespread adoption on Twitter and TikTok; however, some feel it trivializes actual violence and discrimination. According to The Guardian article, some have even labeled the term “the new n-word,” which they contend trivializes real experiences of oppression and prejudice.
Despite these challenges, the slang continues to gain acceptance as more examples of bad behavior online are documented. Videos showing “Karens” refusing face coverings in shops, verbally abusing service staff members or even causing harm have appeared online.
These cases of alleged “Karen-ing” have prompted calls for legislation against the practice. In San Francisco, for instance, a politician has introduced the CAREN Act (Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergency) as an effort to prohibit such activity.
But the slang also has another dimension that many have expressed concern about: Its derogatory and misogynistic tone. Referring someone by their first name – especially a woman – can be demeaning and insulting, making one feel like they are unworthy of such honor.
Though Karen is often seen in a negative light, it’s essential to remember that not all Karens fit this mold. Indeed, in Portland’s current protest movement there are hundreds of middle-class white women who don’t fit the stereotype of what a Karen looks like – those known as Wall of Moms!
No, Karen is still a slang term that should be avoided. It must be remembered that Karen has been used by white people for centuries as an instrument of oppression against other groups of people.
As such, it’s essential to call out those who use this slang as an insult. Whether a white woman uses the term to disparage someone of color or men call women Karen when they behave badly, these names aren’t just amusing; they also derogatory and misogynistic in nature.
Misogynistic
Karen is a derogatory term used as an insult against white women who are perceived as entitled or demanding beyond what is expected of them. It often appears in memes depicting oppressed minority groups using their privilege to get what they want.
This phrase is usually accompanied by a picture of an older white woman sporting an asymmetrical bob hairstyle and demanding to speak with the manager. This stereotype has become widely shared on social media platforms.
Some have been accused of being misogynistic, with some asserting they target women who may be prone to anger or have experienced discrimination and sexism. The term itself may be considered sexist due to its gender-exclusive designation.
Another potential explanation for the sexism in this slang is that many women given the name Karen are over 45 years old. This suggests they would have more experience dealing with service personnel at stores they frequent, making them better equipped to identify sexism in such interactions.
According to Dr. I.M. Nick, a nomenclature scholar and former president of the American Name Society, it’s possible that social media shortening of Karen contributed to this sexism. This could have fostered an attitude of entitlement and rude behavior among this group of individuals.
Karen sightings have increased significantly over the last couple of months as people grappled with the pandemic and confronted systemic racial biases. As a result, people are more aware of what can happen when people feel entitled to their opinion without listening to others’.
Women in particular are especially vulnerable to sexism. This may take the form of sexual harassment, bullying or even an unintentional insult.
It is essential to exercise caution when labeling someone a “Karen,” or any other kind of misogynistic behavior. By using such labels, people can conveniently ignore the actual harm caused by these individuals and the true underlying causes of their sexism. Labels can serve as helpful indicators for understanding behaviors but they aren’t always the most effective means of combatting underlying sexism that lies behind those actions.
