Almost three years have passed since Amy Cooper, a white woman of privilege, protested her right not to allow Black birdwatcher Christian Cooper into Central Park. That incident was just one of many “Karen” public outbursts that still cause social media turmoil today.
These videos are not only disturbing, but also striking examples of white privilege and racism. According to experts, the Karen video phenomenon has become a symbol of how social divisions like racism, harassment and economic disparities often go undetected in our society.
1. The “Karen” Video Phenomenon Is a Reflection of White Feminism
Recent social media videos featuring “Karen” depict white women doing things which can be considered rude or inappropriate in public. But there have also been other Karen-esque incidents of people being recorded and posted online for other reasons.
Over the past few years, Karen videos have seen an exponential growth on social media. Initially, this term was used to denote middle-aged white women who were perceived as acting entitled or rude in public; however, now it has become a general label for any white woman receiving criticism on social media platforms.
One of the most famous viral Karens is Amy Cooper, a White woman who called police on a Black man in Central Park last May. While Cooper’s incident is tragic, the trend of calling out White women for their racist behavior has had serious repercussions for people around them.
Due to this surge in Karen content, many have taken to Twitter and other platforms to help track down white women who have been accused of harassing or assaulting people. Some videos even led to real-world consequences for their subjects – like when Ken, a male Ken, was arrested in Maryland after being accused of harassing and assaulting a group of young protestors protesting George Floyd – the renowned musician and politician who passed away in 2016.
In addition to aiding authorities identify women, Twitter videos often serve to expose microaggressions that aren’t discussed enough in mainstream media. For instance, a Karen video of a woman flipping off a driver who followed her home and filming her as she broke down into tears has been viewed eight million times on Twitter.
Videos like these often lead to real-world consequences for their subjects, yet they also present a risk. Without context or an ability to view what happened before the video was posted, viewers may find it difficult to gain perspective of the situation at hand. Furthermore, some decontextualization techniques may be employed which further muddy things up.
2. The “Karen” Video Phenomenon Is a Reflection of White Racism
Recent YouTube searches have revealed an uptick of “Karen” videos. Typically, they feature white women who are perceived as entitled and overly demanding in public places. These videos often depict outright racism or microaggressions captured on camera and shared online.
Recent years, these videos have sparked public outrage and resulted in real-world consequences for their subjects. For instance, in Maryland a Ken – the male version of Karen – was arrested after video footage captured him assaulting a group of teenagers posting George Floyd flyers, including him kicking them and threatening to hit them.
These videos also reveal an underlying message, reflecting upon the larger societal problems inherent within the white supremacy structure.
To fully grasp how these videos function as tools of subversion, it is necessary to examine the racial dynamics that shape them. We can do this by exploring white supremacy’s roots in racial hierarchies and its influence over social and political structures.
Jennifer Williams, a sociology professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and expert on Karens, believes that Karens represent white people’s desire to maintain power through language and culture. In a paper published in Journal of American Studies by Williams in 2017, Williams explained how using this term “signifies an urge to exert control over others–particularly black people–in order to maintain white privilege” (Williams, 2017).
As can be seen in the video above, there’s a direct correlation between what occurs in these videos and larger issues of race and white supremacy. Williams describes how Karen phenomenon fits within an overall trend known as “white cop-caller nicknames,” which refers to various slurs used by white people to refer to Black folks or groups like Cooper’s or BBQ Becky’s.
White people have used these slurs for centuries to demonize and silence Black and brown people, particularly when they feel these individuals are in positions of power. The “Karen” phenomenon serves as one example of how these slurs remain used today even as the anti-white movement gains ground.
3. The “Karen” Video Phenomenon Is a Reflection of White Feminism
Recent video footage of a white woman calling the police on an African American group at a BBQ has gone viral, earning her the moniker “Barbecue Becky.”
Though its exact origins remain unknown, the Karen name has become associated with a comedy routine from Dane Cook and as an insult for middle-aged white women. A senior editor at Know Your Meme – which tracks internet memes – noted that this term has become one of the go-to expressions to demonize white women perceived as racist in public settings.
Karens have made headlines recently with Amy Cooper calling the police on a Black man in Central Park last May. However, other viral Karens have done less serious things such as white women reserving parking spots or asking to speak to a manager at a grocery store.
Karen video culture began with Cooper, but has since spread to include many more people. Within the past month alone, there have been videos of Karens trying to reserve parking spots, sidewalk chalking, coughing, Kroger shopping and farmer’s market shopping have gone viral.
These viral video snippets can be so brief that they compress someone’s life into a single moment, making it difficult to identify who the offender is since there is usually no identifying information provided.
However, the trend has caused much online controversy. Some call it sexist while others suggest it’s indicative of a woman-hating movement.
In a recent piece for Vox, journalist Louise Perry emphasizes the significance of acknowledging white feminists as part of the problem. She divides feminists into two camps: those who advocate for change and those who strive to help women navigate life’s obstacles as they are.
One example of this difference can be observed in how feminists react to police warning women against sexual assault and other forms of violence. While some may find this practice offensive, Perry emphasizes its necessity.
4. The “Karen” Video Phenomenon Is a Reflection of White Racism
The “Karen” video phenomenon began as a lighthearted, sexist joke but has since evolved into an explicitly misogynist and racist trend. The term refers to middle-aged White women who feel so entitled that when things go awry they demand to speak with the manager and then use their emotions and tears as weapons against service workers.
The first Karen video to go viral on social media was “BBQ Becky,” in which a white woman decided to call the police on black people eating at an Oakland Park BBQ. This clip garnered over 84,000 reactions and 2197 comments, with most viewers agreeing with her decision.
However, what many viewers fail to realize is that this sexism and racism is connected to broader sexism and racism White women have experienced throughout history. This type of bias, known as gendered racism, has had an immense impact on both feminism and civil rights activism in America.
This type of sexism and racism have its roots in racism, and it’s essential to acknowledge this when discussing the “Karen” video phenomenon. Not only does this kind of attitude pose danger for Black women’s lives, but it also damages White women’s perception as powerful and privileged individuals.
An example of the sexism and racism inherent in the “Karen” video phenomenon can be seen when Victoria’s Secret store was featured in a viral video featuring so-called “Victoria’s Secret Karen,” who broke down in tears after another customer accused her of hitting her with her shopping bag. This video has gained over 84,000 views and been shared more than 75,000 times.
Although this video differs from the previous one, it still demonstrates that the woman wasn’t in the right. This is because she wasn’t an employee of Victoria’s Secret and didn’t have a legitimate reason for being there in the first place.
