The Karen stereotype is a widely held stereotype that depicts middle-class white women who are entitled and act out in public. They are frequently seen shouting at service industry workers or harassing police officers.
Recently, the term “Karen” has gained notoriety due to viral videos like Amy Cooper’s arrest of an African-American man in Central Park in 2020 for asking her dog on a leash.
1. Don’t Go In With a My-Way-Or-The-Highway Attitude
When having a difficult conversation, don’t approach it from a “me-versus-them” mindset, says therapist Laura Weeks. Instead, focus on making the other person feel heard and valued – this will reduce tension and keep the discussion productive.
If the other person feels you are taking a “my way or the highway” attitude, having an honest discussion about what’s wrong may prove impossible. Additionally, if there are further misunderstandings and mistrust between both of you, this could further compound any problems.
This mindset may lead to you taking things personally or feeling defensive, which in turn, could have detrimental effects on the other person.
Another way to combat the my-way or the highway mentality is by practicing mindfulness in the moment. This could be something as easy as taking a few deep breaths to clear your head.
Manzoni notes that meditation can be particularly helpful during difficult conversations, as it helps you remain focused and grounded on the other person’s point of view. This is especially useful if the other person tends to be sensitive or defensive during conversations.
Karen has become a derogatory term often associated with middle-aged white women. It describes someone who acts in an uncivilized manner, such as calling police on children playing outside or refusing to follow health regulations.
It is also often used to describe people who refuse to wear masks in shops or who take advantage of the Covid pandemic as an excuse to police others. While some have criticized this phrase as sexist, others maintain that those who object to its use are taking offense at a superficial issue.
Even if you believe the name “Karen” to be offensive, remember it was born out of racial tensions and discrimination in America. It is simply an updated version of older African American street slang which had been used to label those considered privileged or oppressed by white people.
2. Be Specific
Sometimes we may feel the need to have difficult conversations, especially when the situation or person involved is challenging. But avoidance rarely solves anything; if left unaddressed, problems only get worse over time.
If you need to have a difficult conversation about someone who has hurt you or with a friend who doesn’t share your values, there are ways to navigate these conversations without getting defensive or overwhelmed. Ultimately, the purpose of any discussion should be for both parties to feel heard and understood.
One way to do this is by being specific about the issue at hand, outlining what needs to be discussed and how the conversation will conclude. Doing this will let you know whether you’ve addressed the root of the problem and can move forward with its resolution.
It’s essential to be specific when having the conversation with someone. Usually, someone who doesn’t share your beliefs or values will have an entirely different point of view than you do, so it may be necessary to approach the topic from a slightly different perspective than with family or friends.
The Karen stereotype isn’t just an epithet for middle-aged white women; it has also come to be used as a pejorative term to denigrate those white people who display behaviors resulting from privilege.
Karens have been known to engage in anti-vaccination sexism, demand to speak directly to a manager at a service industry job, and be insensitive towards Black lives. In response, an increasing number of people have begun recognizing Karens in their everyday lives and using the name as an opportunity to call out racist or inappropriate behavior.
Two years ago, 17-year-old redditor karmacop97 from Irvine, California created a subreddit dedicated to the Karen. Since then, the forum has grown into an active community of users who regularly post angry responses about people they’ve encountered in their daily lives.
As the Karen Stereotype gains currency in society, there is growing concern that it could be used to justify violence against Black and Brown people. This is especially true following Amy Cooper’s incident in Central Park where she falsely called police on a Black man who was threatening her and her dog.
3. Listen With Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the capacity to recognize and manage one’s emotions. Considered a “soft skill” that separates the great from the average, mastering this area of human behaviour is becoming increasingly essential in order to find success both professionally and personally.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) can also assist you in dealing with stressful situations and improving your mental health. Uncontrolled stress has been known to cause a variety of health issues such as high blood pressure, depression, heart disease and strokes, infertility, and premature aging.
Research has demonstrated that emotional intelligence (EQ) is the strongest predictor of success in the workplace. Companies often hire those with high EQ because they tend to remain calm under pressure, resolve conflict effectively, and demonstrate empathy towards coworkers.
Assessing someone’s emotional intelligence (EQ) can be done through tests like the EQ-i and Situational Test of Emotion Understanding (STEU). Both measures involve self-reporting items that assess whether five different emotions are being caused by a given situation.
The EQ-i is a 133-item scale that has been validated in multiple academic studies and is widely used in business settings, schools and colleges. EQ-i scores are often compared to an individual’s overall IQ score and often play a role in hiring decisions.
Studies have demonstrated that emotional intelligence plays a significant role in one’s social skills, relationships and academic performance. It has also been linked to better interpersonal relations as well as lower levels of aggression among adults.
When dealing with sensitive topics like the Karen Stereotype, emotional intelligence is key. Not only does developing your EQ help you better handle stressful situations, lead and motivate others, and excel in your career, but it’s also necessary for professional and personal development.
Aside from increasing academic or professional success, having strong emotional intelligence can also make you more likeable to others and enhance your quality of life. People with high EQ tend to be more accepting of other people’s differences and confident in their own abilities. They’re more likely to seek therapy and avoid substance abuse problems that lead to addiction or other issues.
4. Don’t Get Defensive
When discussing someone’s behavior, it’s essential not to get defensive. This doesn’t mean you don’t care about their feelings; rather, it means you must avoid being in your headspace where it feels like someone is attacking you. When this occurs, you won’t be able to listen clearly to what they have to say.
If you find yourself being defensive during a conversation, it might be beneficial to reschedule. If it becomes impossible for both of you to maintain respect, it may be best to end the discussion altogether. Additionally, consider what caused this problem in the first place and take steps to address them.
Though it may appear to have emerged out of nowhere recently, its roots can be traced back two centuries. Particularly, it emphasizes the cultural sanctions against women’s anger and how it can be weaponized to further entrench white femininity (in that white female anger is seen as something to be suppressed rather than unleashed).
At a time when white middle class precarity in the US is being challenged by forces that exacerbate and undermine white privilege, the term ‘Karen’ has gained currency on social media platforms as an expression of concern about public health and racial social justice issues that have precipitated unprecedented transformation and uncertainty.
Karren is playing a pivotal role in creating an interface between white femininity and individuals/communities of color at a time when everyday situational racisms are being called into question. She serves as an important voice for highlighting the tensions created by the diminishing power and authority of white middle class women, particularly in an environment where traditional privileges such as ease and access are rapidly disappearing.
Moreover, the ‘Karen’ represents a feminine take on an often male trope: that of the insecure white person who feels their power, authority and security ebbing away. She symbolizes anxieties many white women have about maintaining status quo in today’s globalized economy, especially the ‘Velvet Rope Economy’ which has taken away many of their former rights.
