Karen is my name

[Squills]

Recently someone posted a photo of a hairstyle she was considering... apparently it is a 'Karen' hairstyle and people quickly voiced their disapproval, not so much of the actual hair style, but of the association with 'Karen'.

My name was Karen until I changed it earlier this year.

I felt increasingly hurt and upset when, on an almost daily basis, I'd read or watch someone being vile about my name.

I felt uncertain whether to make the change as I hoped given time it would all die down... but it hasn't. The deciding factor came when I saw someone carrying a placard stating 'We say Karen to be nice, what we mean is cunt'.

Changing my name was fairly easy but time consuming. It was worth the cost and the effort though as I feel relieved to be able to introduce myself without embarrassment. I didn't realise fully how badly it was affecting me until I made the change.

If you want to get an idea of how it feels to have your name dragged through the mud enter your name into the Empathy Generator in the link below.

karenismyname.org/renamer

When you consider how much thought parents give to naming their baby, think how they feel now their chosen name is now considered an insult on a par with the word cunt.

I posted this on the other current Karen thread too. I have just spotted this on Twitter: twitter.com/nicolelampert/status/1420073307072831490

I really hope it's not real.

You don't need a Twitter account to see it.

@Mrshopley

I wonder how many people on this thread who are outraged about people named Karen having to change their name are equally outraged that many minority people in the USA, Canada, UK , Australia have to change their name to a more "white sounding" names all the time just so their CV isn't thrown in the bin? The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason. That's why it's Karen and not Olivia or Ava.

Classic Whataboutery.

As a PP said, decent people would be outraged by both but that is not what this thread is about.

The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason. That's why it's Karen and not Olivia or Ava
Don't be so bloody ageist. Absolute bollocks that middle aged women "behave in disturbing ways"

Men still want to fuck Olivia and Ava, that's probably the difference.

My name actually is Karen
I am no longer allowed an opinion

The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason

The disturbing way of voicing an opinion as a middle aged woman.

elizabethdraper you are allowed an opinion here

@MandarinLime

The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason. That's why it's Karen and not Olivia or Ava Don't be so bloody ageist. Absolute bollocks that middle aged women "behave in disturbing ways"

Yes, what a coincidence that Generation X women are aged 40 - 60! I can assure Millenial and Gen Z women that they will be considered objectionable and “disturbing” once they’ve outlived their fuckability too.

… It will be Olivia and Ava. Just give it 20 years…

@elizabethdraper
My name actually is Karen
I am no longer allowed an opinion

That's exactly how I feel, I frequently get sniggered at in real life. I no longer comment on internet threads using my real name, as there are always "oh look it's a Karen" type comments from people who think they are witty, the last time it happened I was discussing brands of acrylic paint! But I'm not allowed to have an opinion anymore. I keep thinking it will die down, but it's getting worse.

I really want to change my name, but my reason will be obvious to everyone and my lovely mum chose this name.

@Mrsfrumble Yes, what a coincidence that Generation X women are aged 40 - 60! I can assure Millenial and Gen Z women that they will be considered objectionable and “disturbing” once they’ve outlived their fuckability too.

So, so very true.

It's just such a pathetic, lazy insult isn't it. Idiots use it because they can't think of anything intelligent to say. They probably finish their sentences with 'fact' or 'end of'.

The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason. That's why it's Karen and not Olivia or Ava.

This is such an embarrassing post. 'Disturbing behaviours'? Good grief.

The name Karen is very common in generation X women and clearly many people feel many women of this generation behave in disturbing ways for whatever reason. That's why it's Karen and not Olivia or Ava.

As a Gen-Xer I read your opinion and think, meh ...

Am I the only person who is glad Karen asks to speak to the manager I.e. the person who is paid to run things and make decisions?
Rather than take out their frustrations on the front line person who has to follow company policy.
Speaking from experience here as most managers I know hide in the back and avoid any problems.

Using a woman’s name as an insult is pretty nasty in my book.

I wish people would think about the impact on others when they do this. I have a name that is the subject of derision on here - as has my sibling.

It is bloody hurtful at best to keep seeing it written alongside words of scorn.

Unless you change your name as an adult, you have nothing to do with the name you have been given.

I understand why some change names. But I can’t. If my sibling and I changed our names my mam would be in a flat spin because she has dementia.

It is the one thing we can always carry with us that mam gave us. And she loved the names enough to give us them.

And I shall reserve my scorn for those who stereotype strangers on their name alone.

Why is my post embarrassing? I am not an advocate for term and I am not going to list all the types of behaviours that are associated with being " a Karen". I was trying to explain why and how it came about.

We could easily start using Olivia or Ava as an insult, but we don't because we aren't bitchy name callers like the people who started the Karen thing and continue to use it.

There is currently a thread on black MN where Karen is used as a term for an offensive white woman. I wish women of all colours would stick together and not perpetuate the misogyny by continuing to use what is a lovely name.

@ mandarinlime Who is "we"? Who are you speaking for?

Gen Xers who you wrote your ageist comment about. Saying we "behave in disturbing ways' Unlike the Ava and Olivia generation of course.

@Mrshopley, really? You think your post explains how the term came about? What 'disturbing behaviours' do all these Gen X women display then? Talk about sweeping generalisations ...

If you think your “explanation” is a reasonable justification, then you are indeed “an advocate for the term”.

Ironic that in the English speaking world, it is a female name from another language (Karen is a Danish form of Katherine) that is used as an insult or to denote entitled behaviour. Was introduced by Danish immigrants into US after the war and became popular from that time onwards peaking in the 60s there and the 70s in the U.K. It is also the name of an ethnic group in Myanmar. I rather suspect that the vast majority of people using it have no idea about the name’s origin and feel entitled to use it or repurpose it as an insult.
It’s use is definitely misogynistic. Sad to see so many women using it too. No male equivalent has gained the same amount of attention which is very telling.