As our nation suffers through COVID-19 pandemic and combats systemic racism, social media has become a source of footage showing rude, racist or entitled behavior by Karens (also known as Kens). From throwing sneakers at retail staff to calling the police on Black people or even threatening to sue store employees who don’t wear masks; these women have quickly become the center of national debate.
Radio
Male Karens or Kens have garnered increasing media coverage due to their rude, racist or entitled behaviors over recent months. Video footage showing men harassing protesters or Lyft passengers who refuse to wear masks while standing on street corners cracking whips or cursing can often be found posted under #KevinsGoneWild on social media platforms such as Twitter.
Behavior by white people may seem shocking to those unfamiliar with the situation, yet their treatment is far from unique to America; it occurs globally and often goes ignored or is dismissed as “just another viral video.”
At first glance, these incidents in the media may appear shocking; however, there’s more at play here than meets the eye. At issue aren’t just behaviors themselves; rather it is more about social norms and attitudes surrounding those behaviors that lead to them.
Karens and Kens who act out their racism, sexism or other types of misogynistic behaviors without being specifically labeled, will continue their behavior without change in sight. When these actions are addressed and people held accountable, we’ll see an uptick in these types of behaviours and attitudes.
Change may take longer than people anticipate, but it’s crucial that we fight racism on every front. Our responsibility lies with making sure the public doesn’t become complacent with current circumstances and to stop racism where possible – not tolerate or condone it.
Hank Stuever of the Washington Post writes in a recent article that many instances of Karen or Ken behavior stem from a lack of empathy toward other people, particularly Black and Brown people. As a result, these individuals act out irrationally aggressive or violent.
At times, people may put lives at risk by engaging in aggressive or overtly racist behaviour; that’s why it is so crucial that women who engage in these types of behaviours be held accountable and called out.
TV
TV and radio coverage has spotlighted the inappropriate, racist or entitled behaviors of male Karens known as Kens. Many Kens have been seen harassing people of color on Twitter or video posted to the internet; their actions reflect racism, white privilege, and unchecked power dynamics.
Recently, this phenomenon has seen significant growth, reflecting social inequalities and discriminations across society. Karens have become a widely known symbol for systemic social and class imbalances within American society.
These videos make fun of racism and misogyny while also drawing attention to the discomfort experienced by privileged people when encountering those from less privileged backgrounds, such as being unable to see someone’s face, hug them or hold their child.
Amy Cooper’s video went viral recently when she called police on a Black man in Central Park of New York when asked by him to curtail his dog. It exposed other Karens who have harassed people of color similarly.
Kevin McClosky is another example who received widespread coverage in the media due to being seen on video yelling at protesters on a sidewalk in San Antonio. These incidents may not be isolated cases but have received substantial media coverage.
As #KevinsGoneWild trended on Twitter, more videos showing men harassing peaceful protesters appeared online. Although this trend had existed previously, its peak came around 2020.
This has become an especially problematic trend during the Black Lives Matter movement, when its hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, has become the focal point for discussing race in our country. Videos showing racist behaviors often influence how people respond and think about race – making these stories harder to ignore and hopefully preventing repeat incidents from reoccurring in future incidents. It is imperative that stories such as these be reported and discussed, in order to change behavior patterns and prevent more from arising in the future.
Opinion
Many social media users have taken notice of the offensive, racist or entitled behaviors exhibited by male Karens also known as Kens. Although some have objected to the use of this word, most believe it’s time to hold these men accountable for their inappropriate actions.
Karen first appeared in a Dane Cook comedy special in 2005 and has become an internet staple ever since, but over time has taken on more sinister overtones than just being used for ridicule or humorous purposes.
Karens were soon seen shouting insults at service industry employees in restaurants and stores, often being seen arguing with others and creating chaos on city streets and parks.
While Karens may act in such ways due to their misogyny, there may also be other factors at work such as white privilege. White privilege is a social structure which permits certain individuals to behave this way without fear of reprisals from authorities or their peers.
Today, many are grappling with this challenge, especially as our country confronts the racially charged issue of coronavirus pandemic. A number of videos have surfaced online showing people refusing to wear face coverings in public spaces, verbally abusing service workers, and spreading misinformation about the virus.
These behaviors are indicative of racism and white entitlement that must be confronted and addressed if we want to see Kens and Karens change their ways and stop endangering other people’s safety.
But the challenge lies in that, while some individuals may be more willing to alter their behavior when they perceive that their rights have been taken away from them, this change may not come easily for everyone.
Lisa Ropp, an assistant professor at Yale Law School who specializes in racism and discrimination studies, notes it may be more challenging for some individuals to alter their behaviors due to an existing sense of permission, yet Lisa admits this may be difficult in some instances.
Karens and Kens who believe they have the authority to dictate how other people should act can find it especially challenging to realize that life doesn’t revolve solely around them and that others have rights, too.
Social Media
Social media platforms, especially since 2012, have become an invaluable way for many individuals and companies to share their experiences, thoughts and emotions freely with one another as well as interact with them both personally and professionally. Some even use them for job searching purposes or career information sharing purposes.
Some may have an incomplete view of what social media entails, yet this term encompasses any online activity that allows individuals to share information. Examples include websites, blogs, video-sharing websites and apps such as Instagram, Flixster and Pinterest.
Misconceptions about social media often arise from people mistaking it for traditional forms like television and radio; but this is far from true.
Social media has become an indispensable part of global communication and society as a whole. For example, it enables us to stay in touch with friends and family across the world, share our opinions with one another, and keep abreast of news trends.
Internet has also given birth to a unique form of media known as viral videos that has gained considerable prominence.
Popular viral videos online often showcase people recording interactions between individuals – some are humorous while others can have more serious tones.
Other viral video clips have been widely condemned as offensive or insensitive; not always due to racist motivation but can arise due to any number of circumstances.
Amy Cooper became known as Central Park Karen when she called police on black birders in New York’s park. Patricia McCloskey also made headlines when she brandished a gun against Black Lives Matter protesters outside her St. Louis home in June.
Face-threats, or actions which undermine an individual’s identity or dignity, can occur when someone acts in an entitled manner or uses their privilege to demand more than what is expected of them.
