Karen is a derogatory term used to describe a particular white middle-class woman who uses their privilege to make unreasonable demands. This could include opposing vaccination, touching Black people’s hair, or wearing an especially long bob haircut with blond highlights.
Karen has become a widely used internet meme in recent years, though its origins and why someone might be labeled a “Karen” remain uncertain.
In the Early 1990s
Karen is a term used to describe an arrogant, entitled White woman who tends to be angry and often racist. She often makes unreasonable demands or requests to speak with the manager regarding perceived slights or inconveniences.
When this phrase first emerged, it was often used to denigrate younger, entitled White women; however, over time it has come to be used more commonly to refer to middle-aged white women as well. This slang term can be found frequently online in internet memes and has seen a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few years.
It was made famous by a video of a White woman in Central Park who mistakenly reported a Black birder to police for threatening her. This incident, which shocked the nation, was quickly linked to systemic racism and police brutality.
As Late as 2018
Karen was once the fourth most popular name for newborn girls in the 1960s and has become a byword to describe entitled, angry white middle aged women who act out due to their race, class and gender entitlement. These individuals often cause disruption in environments they occupy by disrupting normal daily activities.
However, as the slang spread, it was linked to an increasingly troubling trend: unnecessary 911 calls. One such caller was known as Permit Patty who sought police assistance in stopping an eight-year-old from selling water without a permit.
In 2018, the internet labeled Jennifer Schulte’s video of calling 911 on Black people enjoying a barbecue in Central Park as “BBQ Becky,” making it the poster child for this type of behavior. But this wasn’t the first time entitled white women had been slandered.
In the Late 2000s
In the late 2000s, the term “Becky” was frequently used in disparaging terms to refer to a white woman who displayed arrogance, rudeness and racism.
Many have speculated that the term originated with comedian Dane Cook’s 2005 standup routine. It quickly gained notoriety on Reddit at that time and spread like wildfire among Black Twitter users.
In 2020, the term “Karen” became a byword for rude and arrogant White women who act out in public. This spread during an era of increased political and racial tensions as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
Karen has become a derogatory term for any white woman who exhibits offensive, rude or racist behavior in public. It has become widely used on social media and within activist circles to call out these individuals. Black people also utilize Karen to call attention to recurring patterns of white privilege.
In the Late 2010s
Karen, a term in slang that denotes white women who act entitled or demanding, has gained popularity since the late 2010s. It’s also used to refer to white people who call the police on Black people for trivial matters out of perceived racial bias.
Emily Calude notes that Karen’s rise in internet lingo is often due to a niche-popularity-overuse cycle. Slang terms become popular before they’re used, but eventually fade away due to being overused or misunderstood – making it hard for new users to appreciate using them.
Karen gained notoriety in the late 2010s due to two related events: the Covid pandemic and consumer rage, both on the rise at that time. This proved especially detrimental to Karen, which had previously been used to describe women who refused to follow health recommendations.
In the Late 2011s
The term “Karen” has come to be seen as a derogatory label for White middle class women who act out of privilege or entitlement and demand treatment beyond what is expected. Examples of such behavior include making unreasonable demands, wanting to “speak to the manager,” being racist, or wearing an unusual bob haircut, according to Know Your Meme.
The Karen term has gained notoriety in the United States, where it’s frequently used to denote women who harass Black people or engage in other forms of racism. On social media too, Karens have gained a large following with many jokes about calling out other Karens for their offensive or unpleasant online behaviors.
In the Late 2012s
In the late 2012s, Karen slang became increasingly popular outside the internet world. This term refers to middle-aged white women with “speak to the manager” haircuts, minivans and rhinestones adorning their clothing.
Slang has also spread to younger generations, such as millennials and members of Generation Z. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot even adopted it for her press secretary Kayleigh McEnany; she affectionately refers to her as “Karen”.
In 2020, a new version of Karen emerged online as people used the term to express their dismay over the coronavirus pandemic and demonstrate for racial justice. This version does not require people to wear face coverings in public spaces, is unwilling to abide by quarantine regulations, and believes the entire pandemic issue to be overblown.
In the Late 2013s
In the late 2013s, “Karen” gained notoriety as a slang term for white women perceived to be entitled and demanding beyond what’s normal. Videos showing such behavior often accompany it online – such as blocking people from open car spaces so their friends can park there or screaming at retail workers about refund policies.
As 2020 progressed, the term became increasingly politicized with some criticizing it as a racist slur. However, Cleve Evans — an expert on onomastics (the history and etymology of proper names) at Bellevue University in Nebraska who studies onomastics — believes the term is simply another example of how names have been used to reinforce existing social rules.
Karen’s evolution from a playful term to an insensitive epithet has also been tied to the recent surge in racialized public shaming over Covid-19, the novel coronavirus. The term has become emblematic for systemic racism and social policing, with people labeled “Karen” for failing to follow health regulations or wearing face masks even when they are perfectly healthy.
In the Late 2014s
In the late 2014s, “Karen” became a slang term to refer to white women who appeared out of place. These individuals were typically seen as demanding beyond their position of privilege or entitlement and associated with behaviors such as calling the police on black people, refusing vaccinations for children, and engaging in racist micro-aggressions.
Originally, this term was applied as a derogatory label to middle-aged women with short bob hairstyles. Nowadays, however, it’s used to denote any white woman acting entitledly.
In the late 2014s, “Karen” gained notoriety on social media platforms. It also became linked to several high-profile incidents that took place in America – one being a Central Park birdwatching incident in 2020 where white woman Amy Cooper called police on a black birder.
In the Late 2015s
Karen is a popular slang term for middle-aged white women who act entitled, expect special treatment and become easily frustrated. It’s used to identify those individuals who exhibit petty, narcissistic behavior.
In the late 2015s, this meme gained steam on Reddit after someone responded to an ex-wife who claimed her name was “Karen”. With time, it gained wider appeal and eventually became a widely beloved meme.
In 2020, Karens’ behavior took a drastic turn for the worse; many were calling them out on their selfish and aggressive attitudes. Examples included anti-vaccination activists and those who expressed extreme frustration when required to wear masks during vaccination.
In the Late 2016s
In the late 2016s, an internet meme known as “Karen” gained notoriety. It refers to a middle-aged white woman who is perceived as acting entitled in public.
Karens are typically described as loud, fussy and demanding. Usually sporting a blonde bob haircut, these Generation X soccer moms drive minivans around town making frequent complaints or demands.
In the late 2016, however, a new version of Karen emerged that promoted social policing and anti-science views, giving it an increasingly hostile tone.
Karen-ing has only further fuelled class tensions. It’s not uncommon to witness a Karen requesting to speak to a manager in order to denigrate service industry workers.
