If you’re a millennial or Gen Z internet user, chances are you’ve seen plenty of Karen memes. These tend to be shared online by frustrated millennials who want to mock white women in public.
Karen used to be a casual term for any woman who demanded to speak with the manager of an establishment, but now it has been re-appropriated as an insulting term directed at middle-aged white women in general.
Permit Patty
It’s not often you get an insider’s view into the inner workings of your local water department. And even when you do, that may not always be a positive experience. In one such incident, a young man with good intentions was exposed by a white collared policewoman who seemed more focused on protecting herself than protecting those next door to her. Everything changed within seconds and remains forever changed ever since.
BBQ Becky
The video of a white woman calling the police when a black family had a barbecue has gone viral, earning her the moniker “BBQ Becky”. Her story has become part of an increasingly national dialogue about racism and police brutality. But this isn’t the first time someone from another race has called about an African-American family; Jennifer Schulte was evaluated for an involuntary psychiatric hold after calling authorities about using charcoal grills at Lake Merritttt park.
The original video has been viewed more than one million times, but the internet has taken the woman’s story to a whole new level of outrage. This comes after another similarly viral incident last May in Oakland, California.
A white woman in Oakland, California was caught on camera calling the police to report a group of black men barbecuing in a public park. That video quickly went viral and has become known as #PermitPatty with many images being used as memes on Twitter.
Memes about BBQ Becky have been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people and caused controversy. The incident is just one of several instances that have brought attention to the racial tensions that exist in San Francisco’s Bay Area.
CNN affiliate KRON reported that “BBQ Becky” has been involved in other instances of racist harassment and has called police on black people using charcoal grills in public spaces. She expressed her displeasure with the race of those using the grill, asserting it was illegal to do so in the park.
Though it is unclear who was involved in the initial incident, the woman who called police has been dubbed “BBQ Becky” on social media. She has been Photoshopped into iconic black history moments such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech.
Some people consider this an innocent and even humorous internet trend. Others contend it is racist and misogynistic in nature, having been used to disparage older women and even accused of being a form of classism.
Social researchers have noted that the term is actually rooted in African American culture, as an attempt to find humor amid real-world racism and oppression. This has led many, including activists like Alicia Sanchez Gill, to criticize its sexist connotations.
In the past, “Karen” has been used to denote loud and demanding women. This label has become subject to feminist critique with Helen Lewis noting that its origins lie in white women’s concerns about racism. She adds that this trend does not simply represent sexism but highlights both white women’s experiences as both oppressed and privileged individuals.
Golfcart Gail
This year, the Karen meme has gained momentum online, sparking numerous debates over race, classism and misogyny. The image often depicts a woman asking to speak with the manager of a restaurant and has become particularly popular with millennials and Generation Z internet users who share them on social media platforms.
Many have condemned the trend, including Matt Schimkowitz from Know Your Meme – an online meme encyclopedia. He told Insider that it has a tendency to “take over criticism towards white women online” and has sparked much conversation around racial issues.
He noted the Karen meme has been used to denigrate women for engaging in acts perceived as racist, such as calling the police on Black people without justification. It’s often combined with a “Can I speak to the manager?” haircut and perceived to be an insulting sign directed at middle-aged white women who believe they are entitled to whatever they desire.
This joke originated on Reddit in 2014 and quickly spread, eventually reaching other sites as well. It spawned numerous other images, such as the “starter pack” meme according to Know Your Meme.
Green lamented the prevalence of pictures showing middle-aged white women sporting pixie cuts and asking to speak to the manager at a particular restaurant. She observed these individuals as entitled, ignorant and generally insufferable.
Golfcart Gail’s actions were more serious than those of Permit Patty or BBQ Becky. She called 911 on a black dad at a football match in Florida while sitting in her golf cart, telling police her son was being aggressive towards the referee and she thought he might attack her. Video evidence captured this conversation between mother and son.
The video has caused outrage from both sides of the argument, with some suggesting she wasn’t being aggressive but simply calling out a referee’s call. Others have pointed out that she is white and has called police on other Black men, as well as having an extensive record of making inappropriate remarks.
She’s been accused of using the “speak to the manager” haircut as a derogatory sign for working class women who are perceived to be ignorant and rude, which is an absurd point of contention.
One of the most contentious aspects of the Karen meme, however, is its tendency to assign anonymous names to women who do things deemed inappropriate or unwelcome. That can be particularly harmful for those women who may already feel harassed or assaulted, Dennis noted. He went on to mention how people sometimes create nicknames such as “Permit Patty” or “Cornerstore Caroline” to refer to people suspected of doing bad deeds.
