AIBU - 'Karen' is about class, why are people so class-blind?

[Beancounter1]

AIBU to hate the way people confuse racism and sexism with class prejudice? To my mind, the use of the insult 'Karen', especially popular in the USA, doesn't just mean a middle-aged white woman who is arrogant, self-righteous, self absorbed, complaining, trouble-making, full-of-herself, etc. etc.
It means a middle or upper class woman with these characteristics. You won't see a working class 'Karen'. The stereotypical 'Karen' behaves as she does because she is on a power trip. Her social class advantage has gone to her head. That is why she complains in restaurants and is rude to shop assistants.
Why are people so blind to class prejudice? Why is the world so often seen only through the lens of race or sex? Is it because the powers-that-be (the 'elite') have a vested interest in deflecting and forestalling any class-based collective action or class consciousness? We are not encouraged to talk or think about class, but it is as significant as ever.

They also become dated quickly. People move on, fresh stuff takes over.

I love David Brent and basil fawlty and Alan partridge. NOBODY loves the Karen trope. Nobody. They are not the same.
And Derek? Wtf? How ubiquitous is Derek in comparison to Karen?
How many Dereks do you know?
Any Derek I've ever known has been a whole generation at least before the name Karen. Dereks are generally old or dead men. The only Derek I can think of that's remotely current is the mawkish overblown Ricky Gervase character, in my opinion the worst thing Gervais has ever done.
He redeemed himself with after life. I digress...

That's exactly how Derek reacts... 😄

Ooh this is genius. Make being pissed off a comedy trope, then when people are pissed off about it you've totally roasted them! Because that's totes what they're like! Lolz!

I've just been called a Karen for calling out far right racists on Twitter. Maybe it's not all bad!

@Scarletoharaseyebrows

Well, I suppose that if that's a 'Karen', then I could live with that.

NOBODY loves the Karen trope. Nobody

You've not spent a lot of time on retail forums then. They bloody love it. Because its a lived experience.

They love using it, not the person it represents.

What I have found really interesting, reading this thread, is that there isn't just one definition of a "Karen".

What is also interesting is that this isn't the first time - we've had "Wendy" as a name that signifies a particular set of behaviours on this site for years!

I agree that calling people a "Karen" is to try to shut them down, because mostly people don't wish to be associated with that negative stereotype. Whether or not the stereotype is misogynistic is hard - because it is a set of observed negative behaviours that some people do exhibit regularly!
It's DEFINITELY misogynistic to call someone a "Karen" though, to shut them up.

I would have said the male equivalent would be a Norris (like the one from Corrie).

I also thought that "gammon" applied equally to men and women, didn't realise it was meant to be used exclusively for men.

It's DEFINITELY misogynistic to call someone a "Karen" though, to shut them up.

I agree with you about this. Assertive and opinionated women have always been shouted down, and 'Karen' in this context is definitely misogynistic IMO, even if the original meaning of the word wasn't.

I am mid fifties. Karen was definitely a lower class name.

Several times this week I have seen it used as a general term to shut women up. One woman was criticising a racist post, one pointing out the lack of ppe for dentists and one asking people not to leave broken glass in parks.

It's just another misogynistic insult like 'bitch', meant to shame women and shut them up. I'm sure another one will come along next year and the year after and the year after that, because being shit to women never gets old.

It started out as a meme. Anyone that has worked in customer service knows what a Karen is.
Unfortunately it's been taken too literally, blown out of proportion and it's being made out to be some terrible insult akin to boomer or gammon.
It was a bit of fun originally with a large element of truth to it. Maybe not the name itself, but the person it parodies is every customer service employee's nightmare. Stroppy, nasty women that look down on you and "demand to see the manager"
And yes. In the 90s and 00s they all had that fucking haircut and bug eye sunglasses. (White capri pants, fake Vuitton...)

it's shit. I hate it. I think she's an ordinary woman. Maybe middle class maybe not. But a woman past her youth and she has the temerity to be heard.

I really hate the whole Karen thing. It's all about blaming a load of shit on women. Entitlement, privilege, arrogance. I do not for a moment believe that it is women more than men who need to ''check'' their entitlement, privilege, arrogance.......

I've just seen it used in a FB group as a racist call-out. A woman has posted some hideous "All lives matter" post and nearly everyone has shouted at her, because her post is whiny white privilege stuff.

Someone has told her to "shut up Karen" and someone else has called her "Ku Klux Karen".

Yes, it is a predominantly American site - but this is the first time I'd seen it used that way outside of this thread, and the threads about Amy Cooper.

When Karen is wielded out against my white child for calling out her white bully, I know that Karen has morphed into 'shut up', without the repurcssions, and that's not a step in the right direction for women and girls.

I would quite like MN to ban "Karen" unless a thread is actually about Karen Carpenter, Karen O, Karen Armstrong, Karen Black, Karen Gillan, Karen Elson, Karen Blixen, Karen Matheson, Karen Dalton or Karen Dotrice.

I would like to see all posts calling a woman a "Karen" deleted along with all the half- witted posts trying to justify its use.

I'm thrilled to get the memo that ageism and sexism are OK, so long as they're only directed at women with more wealth than us!

Anyone that has worked in customer service knows what a Karen is

Do they ? My job involves providing advice to clients. I don't know what a "Karen" is.

It's a horrible misogynistic, sexist stereotype.

I've only thread up to page 3 of this vile thread. Some of you should be embarrassed by the casual ageism, sexism and misogyny being displayed in trying to justify this meme.

It's so gross.

Women, it's gross when you accept and fail to challenge sexism, classism and ageism.

It's just as gross as when you accept and fail to challenge racism.

Yes and I bet most of them call themselves feminists.

The karen meme is not the joke. They are for buying into a ageist, sexist stereotype made up by a man.

Many do call themselves feminists. It's a complete joke.