If you have watched the teen comedy Mean Girls, then you may be familiar with the Karen stereotype: a white woman who talks down to people of color.
These domineering middle-class women have been a feature of American culture for years. They can be seen in movies and TV shows like 21 Jump Street or The Lego Movie.
1. The Angry White Woman
Anger can be a sign of oppression or injustice, but it also has the potential to be an effective weapon in fighting racism. In this article, we’ll look at how anger has been used in movies and TV to create positive narratives about women through positive storytelling techniques.
In The Piano (Ryane Campion, 2018), the main character becomes angry at those she encounters in daily life. Her anger, however, isn’t always directed at those who have done her wrong; it often stems from the hurt and suffering she endures.
This type of anger often forces her into secondary roles in movies and causes family and friends to hesitate to trust her.
Stereotypes can be challenging to break down, particularly when they’re applied against white people. That is why it is essential to comprehend their origins and why they have become so pervasive in our culture today.
In 19th-century America, minstrel shows often featured Black people as targets of ridicule. These skits were distinguished by big lips, heavy sets and unruly hair.
Today, this image is still widely seen in popular culture such as movies and on television. It has had a profound effect on how we think about race and gender generally.
This stereotype has made it difficult for black people to feel confident in their skin, leading to many racial incidents. To improve our lives, whether we’re white people or black people, it is essential that we challenge these stereotypes and take intentional steps toward altering them.
2. The Angry Black Woman
American media has long depicted the angry black woman in various forms. From minstrel shows during slavery to being an accepted racial stereotype today, this image has been used extensively.
The angry black woman stereotype is a damaging stereotype that often depicts an overly expressive, bad-tempered individual who is obnoxious. This racial stereotype endures and continues to cause harm.
This misconception that Black women are naturally irritable and impatient is an issue, and should be avoided at all costs.
Studies have demonstrated that when Black women get angry, they are perceived as aggressive and hostile. This perception has become so widespread in the workplace that it has had a detrimental effect on work relationships, productivity levels, and job performance.
It is essential to address stereotyping in the workplace so all employees can be successful and content with their jobs. This requires not only dealing with Black employees’ anger, but also creating environments in which they feel comfortable being themselves.
Thankfully, many movies and television shows are beginning to acknowledge the significance of nuanced representations of African-American characters. This means we can expect more positive, inspiring stories on screen as well as a variety of personalities being showcased.
For instance, the Love & Hip Hop franchise has featured a range of characters over time. While some are over the top, others provide balance to those who may be bubbly and naive – all characteristics common among African Americans.
3. The Angry Asian Woman
Angry Asian women have long been stereotypes in movies and television. They are typically depicted as aggressive, sexually deceptive and even dangerous – such as in the “dragon-lady” trope wherein a seductive Oriental woman is used for seduction or theft. Examples of this characterization can be seen in films like Austin Powers and Kill Bill.
These caricatures have become so ingrained in our culture that they often go unnoticed. Recently, The Duchess of Sussex convened journalist Lisa Ling and comedian Margaret Cho to discuss Hollywood’s “toxic stereotyping” of East Asian women.
The discussion focused on how the film industry can change this, adding more representation of Asians into our media. For instance, Lela Lee’s Angry Little Girls brand has been transformed into TV series and several holiday movies through Gamechanger Films’ partnership.
Lee created her first animated short of the Angry Little Asian Girl character in 1994 while still a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley. However, she feared the judgement that would follow for expressing her anger through art so she kept it hidden until several years later.
After that, she self-published her comic strip online and launched a line of merchandise. Since then, her brand has grown exponentially; creating an animation series which aired on Mnet in 2015 as well as publishing numerous books.
Lee’s brand of merchandise has become immensely popular with fans, who purchased it from malls nationwide and abroad. Her most recent short films can be viewed on her YouTube channel; additionally, Lee is currently working on new projects with Gamechanger which plan to adapt her comic strip into TV shows and holiday movies.
4. The Angry Middle-Class Woman
One of the more intriguing concepts among moviegoers has been women’s role in society. While we can debate its merits, it’s impossible not to reflect on those women who weren’t expected to have equal access to household finances. Those struggling with navigating the female workplace or caring for an infant or young child on a daily basis often struggle more to find balance and fulfillment.
Thankfully, many books, films and TV shows have tackled this topic head on. We’ve curated a list of titles that are sure to tantalize your senses and spark your curiosity.
5. The Angry Black Middle-Class Woman
The angry black middle-class woman is a common character type seen in movies and TV. She often comes off as arrogant, self-entitled, antagonistic and irritating; the kind of woman who will either tell you to shut up and move on or call the police on you.
Karen memes have been widely condemned for being sexist and racist, but some people have taken advantage of its potential positive connotations. CrinkleLuvinASMR – a YouTuber known for their humorous suburban mom videos – is one such individual who’s taken up with this Karen meme in a positive light.
She’s also started a new series about a woman who wears the name “Karen,” but doesn’t wear masks. This show has become immensely popular, particularly in America.
However, another version of Karen hasn’t received as much attention. This portrayal emphasizes class inequality and anti-science beliefs.
It’s a different interpretation than the classic character, which focused on pushy behavior and an anti-science outlook. This social distancing version became particularly popular during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But that version of the character also became increasingly politicized, aligned with social policing principles. That’s when rage broke out – an increased sense of vigilance and fear about missing Covid-19 led many people to call out their neighbors for failing to act responsibly.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, this was a particularly common occurrence. People began nicknaming their neighbors for actions or behaviors they believed to be unsanitary or unsafe, creating an atmosphere of panic in many places. Suddenly, it seemed like Karen was joining in on this trend which made many people very uneasy.
