With the rise of Black Lives Matter protests and racial tensions across America, entitled Karens have become a national phenomenon.
The term “Called Karens” originated as a derogatory reference to white women who act with entitlement, creating an intense public scene as they assert their (perceived) rights over others. But as the COVID-19 pandemic spread and discussions surrounding race and police brutality intensified, entitled Karens have come to be associated with racism and discrimination.
Media Coverage of Entitled Karens
In today’s climate of increasing racism, the term Karen has come to be used more and more often to describe middle-aged white women who act entitled and demand that everyone in their life be treated with dignity. These individuals often get involved in racially charged situations where they call the police on people of color who have not actually committed any crimes.
Recently, several Karens have gained notoriety for their behavior. One “Central Park Karen” took it upon herself to police Black birders who weren’t leashing their dogs according to park regulations; she even videotaped the incident and called the police on a woman who simply asked her to leash her dog so she could take pictures of the birds.
Racialized behavior is becoming so pervasive that many cities are considering legislation to target entitled Karens who have falsely called 911 to harass ethnic minorities. Not only is this use of police resources wasted, but it may put lives of people of color at risk as well.
Karens often exhibit class hatred towards other women and complain to their managers when there is an issue with someone’s conduct. This kind of sexism and classism is a form of exploitation, making it particularly offensive.
Many entitled Karens may be unaware of their behavior, but there may be other things going on in their lives which cause them to act out this way. Aside from racism, it could also be that they feel as though their lives aren’t enough already and are trying to gain more control over those around them.
These are just some of the reasons why so-called entitled Karens have become such a hot topic in the media. From calling police on protestors for honking their horns to an entitled Karen assaulting a retail employee over what some perceived as an inadequate shopping experience, these incidents have made national headlines due to their racially insensitive nature.
Another example of entitled behavior is the so-called “Speeding Karen,” who called the police on NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens for driving to his mailbox without incident. She falsely accused Owens of speeding but she wasn’t doing so and only called because she was racist.
Finally, there are the “Karens in the parking lot,” who call on police to arrest Black people without actually committing a crime. These calls not only waste police resources but may put black lives in jeopardy.
This is a concerning trend that should be addressed immediately, and cities are taking action to prevent this type of racism from taking place. 19 News recently tracked down a lawmaker in San Francisco who introduced the CAREN Act – an attempt to make these types of hate crimes illegal.
