No matter your opinion on Karen memes, they have become a ubiquitous feature on social media platforms. Not only do they call out various racist behaviors but they also serve to educate on tolerance and acceptance.
Karen memes, often depicted as strident middle-class white women, are one of several that call out racial discrimination and privilege. Therefore, employers should be aware of this trend and how it could potentially impact their legal exposure.
Origins
If you’re a fan of Karen Memes and Videos, then you may have noticed them appearing more frequently recently. Particularly, Karens seem to be making a comeback due to face mask laws becoming mandatory in the UK.
Many have taken note of the increasing trend among many women to not wear masks when shopping, leading them to be labeled as Karens or Kens instead. This has sparked an immense backlash on Twitter with many accusing it of being sexist or racist in nature.
One of the more famous ‘Karen’ videos comes from San Diego, where Amber Lynn Gilles was denied service at Starbucks after refusing to wear a mask. This video has been viewed over 10 million times and generated $93,000 in tips.
The origin of the “Karen” meme remains unclear, though it seems to have emerged naturally from online meme culture. It shares similarities to other popular memes like “OK, Boomer,” which became widely popular due to its derogatory use of a name to represent an entire demographic.
Like that meme, the ‘Karen’ meme also conveys an undercurrent of white privilege and serves to target and disparage other groups such as Black people.
For instance, many ‘Karen’ videos are sexist and racist in nature. They often depict a white woman with an unconventional haircut feeling entitled to have her way.
Some of the ‘Karen’ videos are funny and popular for mocking racial stereotypes. These depict white women between 30-50 with blonde hair and multiple young children who usually have anti-vaxxer views with an offhand attitude.
Though the origin of the ‘Karen’ meme remains uncertain, it has been around for some time and likely stems from both sexism and racism. A ‘Karen’ is typically depicted as an archetypal woman who lacks empathy or concern for her children.
Karren is also the person who calls the police on Black people barbecuing in public parks and becomes indignant when asked to put her dog on a leash in Central Park. These videos have served as motivation for passing legislation known as CAREN Act which would make it an offense against race to call police on non-emergencies involving racially exploitative practices.
Characteristics
Karen Memes and Videos have become a global cultural phenomenon that has gained momentum on social media in the last few years. Often used to assign blame for all your troubles onto one person, these memes and videos offer an entertaining, humorous, and insightful way of venting your angst.
Karen Memes and Videos on the internet often depict a middle-aged woman with short hair. She usually displays rudeness, argumentation, and/or derogatory language towards those who disagree with her decisions. Karen is someone who will complain that you are making her life harder if you don’t give into her demands.
She displays an arrogant attitude and doesn’t believe rules apply to her. She believes it is her right to return an item without a receipt, and will call the police or threaten legal action over seemingly insignificant issues, like when a bird watcher asks her to leash her dog in Central Park.
Karen is a character featured in many films and television shows, but she can also be an actual person living near you at home or work. Although she may look older than most and sport a bob-haircut, Karen usually exhibits an arrogant attitude, an entitlement complex and lack of racial awareness.
Karen is a frequent character on movies and shows such as Mean Girls, Ozark, and Barney Stinson’s How I Met Your Mother. Though she usually plays a supporting role, The Karen plays an integral part of the plotline and helps highlight some of its most notable characteristics.
Her desire to intervene, especially on behalf of her white privilege, often targets people of color and she weaponizes that view with the intention of causing real harm while pretending helplessness. As New York Times columnist Sarah Miller put it: ‘Karen Trifecta’ – racist, selfish and suffering from panic disorder.
Karen Memes and Videos are popular for depicting a white woman acting out of fear, racism and panic while simultaneously feigning an emotional outburst. These videos typically feature an over-the-top narration or soundtrack that makes viewers’ blood boil.
Messages
The Karen meme has been around for some time, but its connection to racial inequality in America and its use as a catch-all for women who exhibit behaviors associated with white privilege has recently made it go viral.
Karen has been used to describe a range of people, from soccer moms to anti-vaxxers. But there’s something about the name Karen that resonates with many people.
Karens have become iconic on social media, particularly San Diego Trader Joe’s “Karen”, who became notorious for refusing to wear a mask when visiting the store and becoming an Internet sensation. She has also become a frequent target for satirists on Twitter during lockdown periods.
Two years ago, there was a subreddit called Fuck You Karen that mocked an imaginary user named Fuck_You_Karen. Unfortunately, that user has since disappeared from the internet, leaving behind only its ghostly presence behind.
Before we delve into the origins of this cult-like phenomenon, let us take a closer look at some of the most significant messages embodied by Karen mania and its precursors.
The most significant message here is that even the most expensive gadget may not always be the best idea. This is especially true of the Karen, which many mistakenly believe to be more of a symbol of entitlement than an effective weapon against discrimination. By taking time to identify this hidden meaning behind her attractiveness, people can better comprehend why she has become so popular with the public and hold her accountable for her decisions.
Symbolism
The Karen meme has seen unprecedented growth, and with it has come some interesting symbolism. Most notably, “Karen” has become a derogatory term for white women who take offense at other people’s minor infractions. These women are often referred to as officious or rude white moms – the epitome of annoying behavior that shouldn’t be allowed in public spaces.
Last February, the “Karen” meme gained notoriety as a way of mocking one particular type of anti-vaxxer mom — an entitled white woman with hair that says, “Can I speak to the manager?” It served as an ironic dig at middle class entitlement and self-absorption that often go along with this type of individual.
By springtime, however, the “Karen” name had taken on an increasingly poignant significance and has come to symbolize both the divisive social politics of 2020 and racial injustice and violence that have become frequent topics in many political debates.
At the height of Black Lives Matter and nationwide racial tensions that followed George Floyd’s death by police, many incidents demonstrated Karen-like behavior among all sorts of people. From a middle-aged white woman in New Jersey who berated local police for an hour over her adult daughter’s car registration to a middle aged Texas teacher who repeatedly attempted to contact President Trump, it seems Karen-ing is no longer just for frustrated moms anymore.
In some cases, anti-science and irrational behavior has been linked to Black men calling the police for no other reason than walking down the street. This irrationality isn’t simply due to lack of training but rather a deep-seated fear of Black men stemming from decades of discrimination and racial profiling.
The pandemic has also been linked to an uptick in gender stereotypical beliefs, which may have been amplified during the crisis. A study published this year in Journal of Applied Social Psychology revealed that adults in the United States endorse more traditional gender role beliefs during this time, leading to stereotypic images and names being created.
