Recent rude and entitled Karens cases have received extensive media coverage. Whether they’re calling the police on Black people or using racist language, these white women seem to have a knack for getting their messages across.
Why are we so drawn to them? Is it because they remind us how far we still have to go, or does racism still exist in all its ugly forms?
Media Coverage of Rude Karens
Recent media attention has been drawn to cases of rude and entitled Karens – white women who cause public disturbances for seemingly minor matters. Thankfully, videos sharing online have brought awareness to this type of behavior.
There are multiple social media accounts dedicated to “Karens gone wild” as well as a popular Reddit thread about these incidents. With the influx of viral videos, attention has been drawn to this issue and people are calling out individuals for their behaviors in an effort to hold them accountable.
Some critics of the Karen trend claim it is sexist and ageist. On the other hand, proponents believe it serves to highlight entitlement and privilege by amplifying people’s sense of special treatment and lack of empathy for others.
Therefore, it is essential to highlight these incidents so that the community can learn from them and make changes in their own behavior. Doing this helps prevent individuals from committing similar crimes in the future.
One recent instance of Karen case that has garnered widespread media coverage is the incident at Subway restaurant. Twitter user @chalie_kincad posted video footage of the confrontation, which has since been viewed more than 2 million times. In the clip, a woman shouts at employees for taking too long to serve her and demands her supervisor be called; however, her demands were ignored and she leaves without purchasing anything.
Another case that has garnered much media attention is the tale of Amy Cooper, who on Twitter dragged bird watcher Christian Cooper after being asked to leash her dog in Central Park. This incident also involves a middle-aged white woman creating an uproar in public.
Though these stories of incidents have been widely discussed on social media, it’s essential to remember that they are products of systemic racism. Therefore, not only should we call out instances of prejudice but also educate people about the issue and work toward its resolution.
Media Coverage of Racist Karens
Recent media attention has been given to several racist Karens cases. One such instance involves a woman filming shoppers refusing to wear masks at an American grocery store – this act being seen as evidence of the “Karen” meme.
These videos demonstrate that people are increasingly turning to social media to vent their rage. Unfortunately, this anger often manifests itself in misogynistic or sexist behaviour. In some cases, this anger could be the result of stress and fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while in other cases it could be indicative of larger issues such as mental health or substance abuse issues.
This phenomenon has also been connected to the rising racial inequality in America. White women have been accused of being complicit in this inequality, particularly by Black and brown people who perceive them as entitled or demanding different treatment.
Due to these underlying racial issues, the media is beginning to cover racism more frequently than before. As documented by Black Feminist Collective’s essay “Karen Memes Are Peak White Feminism,” this trend can be observed across various publications.
One way to explain why these Karens cases have received more media coverage than other racist incidents is by looking at how many women use a particular name on their social media accounts. Some have been dubbed “Barbecue Becky,” “Golfcart Gail,” and others “Permit Patty.”
In other cases, these women have been given alliterative nicknames to reflect their behavior: “Pool Patrol Paula” and “Dog Park Debbie.” These white women, in addition to being racist, believe they have the right to enlist police assistance in upholding their own rules of conduct.
Furthermore, this type of racism serves to shield white people from discrimination and harassment. It serves to maintain a privileged class of white socio-economic power. The Karen (or Ken) videos reveal that this pattern of racially motivated othering of people of color has persisted across neighborhoods and workplaces across America.
Media Coverage of Entitled Karens
One way to interpret media coverage of recent rude and entitled Karens cases is as an example of how social media can be used to bring awareness to societal problems. Another interpretation would be that these cases serve to highlight sex-based discrimination as well as the plight of women of color.
Media coverage of such incidents often serves to highlight how widespread racism and sex-based discrimination can be, particularly when they take place in public places like airports.
Due to this, we’ve seen numerous videos of people getting angry in airports or other public places because they feel they are not being treated fairly. These incidents can be shocking to witness and often leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth.
But that doesn’t make them any less relevant to discuss. They provide an insightful way of taking stock of American society today.
Recent Karens cases involve a woman from Plano, Texas who yelled at a group of Black women outside a restaurant. This incident was captured on video and quickly went viral.
Media reports indicate this woman has a history of racism and abuse toward people of color. She even has a criminal record, suggesting that charges will soon be brought against her for her conduct.
This case serves as a prime example of why the media often pays attention to such incidents, since they can be horrifying and leave an unpleasant taste in one’s mouth. This woman’s actions were particularly offensive because she displayed extreme racism that is typically only found among pre-Alex Jones/Kanye level racists.
Though it can be challenging to comprehend why people become angry, research indicates that men and women tend to suppress their emotions differently. Women are typically advised to keep their tempers in check and not cry, while men are encouraged to be strong and decisive in handling situations.
Media Coverage of White-On-White Karens
There has been much controversy surrounding the term “Karen”, which has become a popular way to refer to white women who are behaving badly. Some criticize its sexist nature, while others argue it serves as an opportunity for discussing casual racism and privilege.
Karen has been a staple of viral videos and social media posts for years, but the term has recently appeared in an unexpected context – during the coronavirus pandemic and national protests surrounding Black Lives Matter.
Karens have become a cultural phenomenon thanks to the recent surge of viral videos and incidents depicting them wreaking havoc on public spaces. Aram Sinnreich, associate professor of communication at American University in Washington, D.C., notes that these videos showing women throwing tantrums or using tears as leverage are both insightful and upsetting.
He notes that many Karen-ing cases are also the result of wider economic and social difficulties. In a country where people of color often face discrimination in their workplaces and neighborhoods, many Karens feel threatened and insecure because they no longer possess the same resources as their white peers.
Last summer, a woman from Montclair, N.J. called the police on her neighbor because she and her husband wanted to build a patio in their backyard. She falsely claimed that he was threatening her and her dog with harm.
That video went viral, becoming a focal point in the debate over classism and misogyny. As such, San Francisco supervisors introduced the Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies Act which makes it illegal to make fake emergency calls to 911 services.
Some argue that these Karen-ing cases are an extension of a larger culture of entitlement and white privilege that has permeated America since slavery, which still persists today.
Lillian Glass, a communications and body-language expert from Los Angeles, states that these viral incidents often don’t stem from race or gender but rather deal with larger issues of fear and anxiety. She cites the recent surge of furloughs, layoffs, as well as the return of Black Lives Matter activism as contributing factors to what she describes as a “perfect storm” of stress for some Karens and Kens.
