Sick of being called Karen

[frog22]

Listening to Radio 4 and Caroline Hirons is on and she has already used the term Karen to refer to her followers. I'm just sick of it. It's as bad as calling a woman the B word or C word!

Why would she do it? Why do women do it to other women?

Why is she not a Karen but her followers are?

Well it’s not as bad as “the b or the c word” because you haven’t written them but you’ve written “Karen”...

@inglory

Why is she not a Karen but her followers are?

It's probably just how most of these bloggers view the women that follow them?

@inglory

Why is she not a Karen but her followers are?

It's probably just how most of these bloggers view the women that follow them?

She's also middle aged & blonde (according to Google)

You can always change your name if it's that bad. Nobody who matters one iota would judge you because of ridiculous and inaccurate views of you name. If they do then they don't matter.

Is the OP called Karen?

YABU - I do find the reactionary backlash to this massively over the top.

how do you think I feel? ITS MY ACTUAL FUCKING NAME

everytime I disagree with something oh your such a KAREN everytime I need to talk to a higher up WOW I've got a KAREN when I complain apparently I'm unreasonable about being teased about being called a Karen because it is my name and I should be "used to it by now"

I'm considering changing my name

I dislike the term, much as I can think of women who meet the description.

The few women called Karen I have known are not like the term at all.

@inglory

Is the OP called Karen?

I'm not called Karen. It was a comment about the general term of women being called Karen to other them and put them in their place. Just didn't expect to hear it from someone who makes their money on the back of women's insecurities about their looks.

So if you're in a cafe and you discover your sausage is pink and still a bit frozen on the inside. Whilst you're demanding a full refund for the total bill and to speak to the manager, if another diner said,
"Shes being a total Karen"
Is just as offensive as someone saying,
"Shes being a total cunt"

I somehow find that hard to believe.

I was confused by @bettsbattenburg I do find it interesting the male equivalent isn't as much of a thing. Take the couple who drew weapons on a group of protesters, the "Karen" in that scenario seemed to draw more press.

Aren't all white women Karens now according to some?

I think is very telling that we have a name to shut down any woman over 30 but not a similar one for men.

@MonkeyToesOfDoom but why can't a women ask for better service/refund without being called any name?

It was a comment about the general term of women being called Karen to other them and put them in their place.

Or it is to highlight the massively entitled, unreasonable and often discriminatory behaviour of a significant group of white middle class women in the US? The videos I've seen of "Karen's" have been horrendous. Grown women having tantrums, hurling abuse, lying to police, refusing to comply with simple rules to protect public health, harrassing others going about their lawful business and racially profiling people.

Playing the sexism card here to protect a massively privileged group of people is just reactionary crap. Bad behaviour is bad behaviour regardless of the person's sex.

@MonkeyToesOfDoom

So if you're in a cafe and you discover your sausage is pink and still a bit frozen on the inside. Whilst you're demanding a full refund for the total bill and to speak to the manager, if another diner said, "Shes being a total Karen" Is just as offensive as someone saying, "Shes being a total cunt"

I somehow find that hard to believe.

I find it hard to believe that I'd be eating a sausage in a restaurant. If I did and they had decided to freeze it before cooking it I'd let them know about their mistake and give them the opportunity to put it right.

I don't pay for a meal until we've finished and the server brings me the bill so I'd never need to ask for a refund. I wouldn't ask for the manager because from experience I find the serving staff are always really good at resolving issues.

@MonkeyToesOfDoom but why can't a women ask for better service/refund without being called any name?

They can. I've done it plenty of times and not being called a 'Karen' once. The trick is not to be an entitled arsehole while doing it.

I'm not English & unlikely to be called a Karen but I think it's pretty sexist, ageist & classist tbh

Karen is used to belittle and dismiss normally middle aged women in this country. Ive seen it used as an excuse for men to harrass women on SM.

Not to mention karen is just really really not funny,

@Hopoindown31

It was a comment about the general term of women being called Karen to other them and put them in their place.

Or it is to highlight the massively entitled, unreasonable and often discriminatory behaviour of a significant group of white middle class women in the US? The videos I've seen of "Karen's" have been horrendous. Grown women having tantrums, hurling abuse, lying to police, refusing to comply with simple rules to protect public health, harrassing others going about their lawful business and racially profiling people.

Playing the sexism card here to protect a massively privileged group of people is just reactionary crap. Bad behaviour is bad behaviour regardless of the person's sex.

This is the reason I found Caroline using the term to describe her readers a little ignorant.

@sinisterbumfacedcat The equivalent name for guys is 'Arsehole'. Or 'Fuckwit'.

@Hopoindown31 I completely agree however I'm just not sure those who would be labelling the "Karen" would agree on what constitutes being entitled, do you?

I’m not called Karen but I find the use of it so cringy