The internet is in a frenzy over videos of white women making unnecessary police calls on minorities, known as “Karens.” Though their behavior is not new, it remains alarmingly prevalent.
Karens are typically middle-aged white women who act entitled and rude. They expect special treatment that they do not merit and often engage in verbal harassment of retail and restaurant employees.
Videos of white women unnecessarily calling the police on minorities are going viral.
The Internet is filled with videos of white women calling the police on minorities for doing seemingly mundane activities. These videos, tagged with hashtags like BBQ Becky and Permit Patty, have gone viral. These expose everyday racism and have had swift repercussions for those responsible; some even losing their jobs.
In May, a video emerged online featuring white woman who went by the nickname BBQ Becky calling police on two black men using charcoal grills at a public park in Oakland, California. The incident quickly went viral and became fuel for resentment and outrage among black communities.
Since then, numerous other incidents have taken place where white people called the police on black people for doing ordinary things. One video, of a White woman calling the cops while standing outside her home in Seattle, is being studied and debated by experts and activists across America.
These incidents are part of a larger pattern sociologists have been studying for years: how white people use their privilege to perpetrate racism in their own lives. This occurs when white individuals perceive black people in an inappropriate situation and then call the police on them out of fear of being labeled racist.
This practice isn’t exclusive to the United States; it has roots in centuries-old traditions of race-based bias worldwide. A recent study found that a significant portion of people in France, Canada and Belgium believe people who aren’t white should be punished.
Some of these cases involve people doing what they thought was appropriate – like shopping at a grocery store or taking a nap in their college dorm. On the other hand, others, such as a White woman filmed while she racially profiled a Black graduate student at Yale University, were recorded committing crimes.
Who exactly are these women?
In early February, we first encountered Karen as a lighthearted joke aimed at one type of white woman: an anti-vaxxer mom with an entitlement complex and hair that read “Can I speak to the manager?”
Recently, however, this phrase has taken on a more offensive connotation when applied to white women who have engaged in racially charged behaviors. It serves as an informal way of observing and identifying white women who may be unintentionally committing racist, discriminatory or misogynistic acts, particularly when their actions are documented and shared online via social media channels.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conversations regarding police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s passing, videos have surfaced of white women behaving inappropriately in public – including calling the police on Black people and others. Videos of some of these incidents have led to criminal investigations and even terminations from public office.
From a sociological perspective, it’s evident that Karen behavior is indicative of an ongoing battle with racial inequality in America. This struggle has been waged by white people throughout history and continues to be compounded by systemic racial biases within the US today.
Over this period, white people have been faced with a range of issues related to class. This has increased awareness and understanding about what constitutes white privilege and how it can be exploited by those with it, like Karens.
The Karen meme began as a playful poke at middle class white woman entitlement, but has since evolved into an incendiary commentary on white supremacy and an emblem for 2020’s contentious debate over human rights and policing – which should be taken as a positive sign.
Black Lives Matter, a race and gender-based social movement, has been instrumental in elevating the visibility of women of color who have experienced racial harassment or assault. Additionally, the #MeToo movement has played an essential role in exposing and encouraging these individuals to take control of their own lives.
How have they played a part in America?s battle with racial inequality throughout history?
For centuries, Americans have battled with racial, class and gender inequality in America. Since colonists settled along the eastern shore of America, white people have held a monopoly over power over people of color; they enslaved Africans to make way for their culture while systematically wiping out Native Americans.
Though these dynamics remain ongoing, we have made progress and can now openly discuss them. Furthermore, we’ve started to examine how different identities may impact people differently when confronting these challenges.
In today’s society, there are numerous examples of white women acting out their anger on people of color in an aggressive manner. Furthermore, these individuals tend to feel entitled and lack compassion towards others.
Karens have become a derogatory term to describe white women who engage in racial microaggressions and are willing to call the police on people of color. These individuals are usually referred to as Karens or “BBQ Beckys,” but other names that could equally accurately describe them.
They have also been referred to as “permit Patti” and “golf cart Gail,” all of which reflect their determination to use their privilege for discrimination against people based on race. No matter how these names are applied, all share one trait: white women who have felt oppressed by society and have chosen to use that power to target and harass those of color.
In 2005, a white woman disparaged Black people barbecuing at a park by calling the police on them. Since then, videos of white women disproportionately calling the police on minorities have surfaced online.
These cases serve as a sobering reminder of the lasting legacy that these racist white women have left on America’s fight against racial inequality. As a society, we must be more cautious about allowing them to dominate public conversation and influence policy discussions.
What can we do about it?
Recently, the internet has been filled with videos of entitled white women who are commonly referred to as “Karens.” They usually sport short blonde haircuts, wear sunglasses and insist on speaking to a manager at all times. Furthermore, these individuals usually display an attitude of entitlement and behave in an inappropriate or embarassing manner most of the time.
They tend to become extremely irate at any slight disagreement that doesn’t go their way. They will take any opportunity to cause a disturbance or shout at people in an effort to gain their desired outcome, and will do anything necessary in order to obtain it.
Some Karens even take to public forums and use racist language and words. This can be intimidating since you never know for sure whether they are truly prejudiced or not.
One of the most shocking Karen moments occurred when a woman known as “Maryland Karen” posted an anti-Black racist rant that received over 450,000 likes on social media. In it, she repeatedly called Black men niggers and stated that “Black babies are different”, while also tattooing her body with a swastika–a symbol usually associated with white supremacy–to demonstrate her views.
Karens’ vicious act of racism serves as a stark reminder that they are not alone in their hatred and acts of violence. Rather, these entitled women are part of an organized movement grounded in white supremacy.
In some cases, women may attempt to escalate a potentially volatile situation into a physical confrontation or call the police on minorities; thus, taking action against such forms of racial harassment is essential.
Combatting this behavior requires teaching your kids how to take responsibility for themselves and not become frustrated over seemingly insignificant things that don’t go their way. Education is the key to keeping your kids from joining in on dangerous and destructive patterns that arise as a result of white privilege.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat the unnecessarily aggressive and degrading behaviors from Karens in our community. Businesses such as Starbucks are taking action against this conduct to curb their sense of entitlement.
