Karen has long been used as an epithet for certain types of women – usually suburban white ones who call the police on birdwatchers or request that someone speak to the manager at grocery stores. Now, as coronavirus pandemic unfolds further, Karen is being used as a target against those who oppose vaccination or use its spread as an opportunity to unfairly police others.
1. Karen & Ken
Ken and Karen live in an enclosed world in which they believe they are the only people who matter, fearing that outsiders might one day discover them and expose the truth about their ruthless, selfish existence. It’s similar to an abuser worrying that those they victimized might seek revenge against them.
They’re so insecure in their relationship, they cannot even rely on each other to guide them through life. Instead, they cling to childhood notions of love while engaging in heated arguments over trivial matters. Furthermore, they fear for their fortunes and luxury items they have amassed over time – their lack of trust between each other and with society ultimately brings them down.
A couple resides in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood – a popular choice among the wealthy – where they hire a concierge to handle chores and errands, while their son attends college nearby. When his girlfriend came over to help prepare dinner, an argument ensued between the couple which ultimately resulted in both leaving abruptly.
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, their relationship deteriorates further as both become increasingly erratic and hostile. When confronted, they often double down on their unreasonable rage of entitlement by engaging in strange dance moves or spewing racist insults.
Karen stands out as more unpredictable of the pair; her actions can easily be set off by seemingly minor incidents like her soup being too hot or the checkout line taking too long, which cause an explosion of anger that cannot be calmed by Ken or convinced that she is overreacting.
Karen encourages Ken to reach out and invite Trish, his former spouse who is back home for the holidays, to their Christmas party – but when she arrives she finds that there is someone else there as well!
She becomes upset and calls the police, who quickly arrive on the scene to arrest Ken and Karen and arrest them both, with Karen threatening to sue Ken for trespassing before she threatens to sue Ken herself for trespassing. Following their arrests they are sentenced to prison but escape before serving their full sentences before returning home for Christmas where they begin getting along better again at first – though only briefly; over time their resentments grow increasingly bitter as time progresses into bitter hatred in the second half of the movie.
2. Karen & Ken vs. Ken
Karen, a popular meme character that has come to symbolize specific types of white women who exhibit problematic and privileged behaviors, has come to symbolize certain white women with privilege and problematic behavior. The character features an middle-aged white woman wearing an asymmetrical bob and making unreasonable demands from others, sometimes with dramatic and troubling results; many people have begun calling out real life Karens on social media platforms such as Facebook; this has resulted in real Karens being shunned, ridiculed and threatened by members of society.
Karen has become a term to describe individuals who display both sexist and racist behaviors as well as those who fail to grasp social justice issues, such as creating a scene at stores or refusing food from restaurants, calling police on neighbors for simply walking down streets, etc.
Although these examples may seem concerning, they have an established history within our nation’s history. Karen has long been used to denigrate blacks and other minority groups; therefore it’s essential that people understand its origins and use as slang so that those guilty of using it to harm or diminish others can be identified and held responsible.
Some may assume the rise of Karens in American culture is caused by recent social justice events, and we are experiencing a “Karen boom.” While we must remain vigilant against racist and sexist attitudes, it is also vital that we recognize their historical context so as to better comprehend why they continue being used so widely against people of color.
As videos involving individuals referred to as Karens have proliferated online, many are left asking: who exactly defines a Karen? People of color have found it impossible to swim in a pool, exercise at a public park, use a gas station shop, install patio furniture, make food deliveries or purchase some berries without encountering one or more Karens; in many instances these Karens will require speaking directly with a manager before even making simple requests or making simple requests themselves.
These individuals cannot distinguish their identities from those of others and use race and gender to exert power over those less powerful – effectively perpetuating patriarchy and all of its associated forms of oppression, which ultimately harm all parties involved. We must understand why Karens are present in our lives while simultaneously calling out their sexist and racist behaviors in order to change these individuals’ ways.
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With all the attention lavished upon Barbie and Ken, it can be easy to lose sight of their complex relationship. They need each other for support and affirmation while simultaneously disliking one another; yet each is constantly competing to win over the affections of one another and this competition drives countless arguments and recriminations between them – beautifully captured in Netflix film Karen & Ken with Margot Robbie playing Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. This dynamic was captured beautifully in Karen & Ken which stars Margot Robbie as Barbie while Ryan Gosling as Ken. This dynamic is beautifully captured beautifully in Karen & Ken; Margot Robbie takes on both characters superbly while Ryan Gosling takes on Ryan Gosling plays Ken.
In the opening scene, Barbie attempts to distract Ken from his important work by donning glasses in hopes that he’ll notice her, like any woman would hope he does. But unfortunately for Barbie, he gets too caught up in his project that he doesn’t see her and this leads her to question if he still loves her; her mentor played by America Ferrera assures her otherwise.
As we watch, more examples of competition arise, which can be just as damaging and irritating in real life. Some may argue that stereotypes are outdated; what matters more is to acknowledge these behaviors aren’t normal and call out any instances of unchecked entitlement or privilege as soon as they emerge.
As soon as “Karen” memes began appearing online a few years ago, everyone laughed in agreement. The comical portrayal of an angry middle-aged, suburban minivan-driving white woman demanding to speak with management was quickly transformed into something far darker.
Problematically, “Karen” has come to symbolize a type of person despite only being the fourth most popular baby name for girls. Furthermore, its slang usage has even spread into male society; male men now being called male Karens has led some to argue that its gendered nature perpetuates misogyny.
The term Karen has long been used as an insult and derogatory slur against African-Americans and other people with certain skin tones, even suggesting it be used against them as part of a racist slur in 2020. If we want to prevent reaching peak Karen, then perhaps using the word as pejorative and providing education about its origins are ways forward that may begin healing some wounds caused by destructive attitudes like these.
