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?

But why would CH want to insult her followers? Do you think she could have meant Car-ens (like Brosettes kind of thing)?

I feel the same about comments made about red heads. Sorry OP but that's been happening for decades and it's not going to stop any time soon, at least new mums can choose not to call their child Karen but for you you'd have to change your name, the way some redheads change their hair colour to escape being called all sorts.

It's an interesting issue though. I wonder how many people who have been offended by the name Karen have ever insulted redheads or people of other races with similar key words. Not for a second saying you have OP. But perhaps it's a good thing that people who were formerly unaware of how it feels, might be able to have a better understanding going forwards.

In the US there are Karen equivalents for Asian, Latina and Black women so having Karen for white women is understandable.

In the UK we are unlikely to start using names for BAME women so the use of Karen is not so understandable. The slur has taken on a new meaning here. In the US Karens are those nasty white women terrorising people that she considers below her and it's fine to laugh at their ridiculous behaviour. Some people in the UK have misunderstood and use it incorrectly.

I just assume anyone who uses the term Karen is a misogynistic, arrogant, uneducated twat.
It says way more about the user than the actual person its targeting to me! I have second hand embarrassment for anyone who uses it.

agree. all i can see is that some sections of society now openly hate middle aged women.

My best friend is called Karen.
She’s awesome and it’s a great name.
I don’t pay much attention to the world and its current jokes

@whattimeisitrightnow is this the universal definition?

It refers to people who are pushy, opinionated, treat retail staff poorly etc.

@whattimeisitrightnow Saw it in wiki.... It had the definition .. followed by ‘commonly applied to white.. blah blah blah

Karen have ever insulted redheads or people of other races with similar key words

never, and i think thats a poor comparison.

this is a way of quickly putting down a whole generation of half of society.

as if we are the ones beating, murdering and raping, or screwing the country financially. its ridiculous.

When you say "these people" do you mean every white woman over 40? Because this is how the term 'Karen' is being used as the new scold's bridle.

Again, not just white women over 40 that are now being called 'Karens'. Young, old, white, black, you're a woman making a complaint or voicing an opinion, you're now a Karen. Think you're being reasonable, polite, minding your Ps and Qs? They're still going away to their colleagues, friends, FB/Twitter saying 'I dealt with such a Karen today'. We're all Karen now, the sooner women realise what's happening, rather than thinking 'oh but Karen doesn't mean me', the sooner this crap meme can die on its arse.

If you don't like Karen I hope you're not using one of the many name-slurs I've seen on here, many of which are targeted at kids - Kevin, Jocasta, Tarquin, Kevin... Talk of "naughty names" and "chav names" are not uncommon and you should be embarrassed by your hypocrisy if you've posted something about a baby's name sounding chavvy (ie too poor) but think Karen is out of order

I’m a white middle aged woman but interestingly I don’t find the term upsetting. I can only think if you’re upset by it, you think it’s referring to you!

Perhaps stop reading,and following, all these stupid things on social media. Influencers and followers,its all total rubbish, have people all lost their ability to think for themselves these days.

yeah the only way to avoid being a karen is to not be a woman from 35-65.

I’m a white middle aged woman but interestingly I don’t find the term upsetting. I can only think if you’re upset by it, you think it’s referring to you!

Are you one of those "white saviours" who tell me how oppressed I am? 😴

The Karens I know are all lovely, warm women. With, actually, great, soft hairstyles.

I’m a white middle aged woman but interestingly I don’t find the term upsetting. I can only think if you’re upset by it, you think it’s referring to you

But you do come across like a Karen though.

@Helmetbymidnight interestingly, the family next door to us who harassed us for years when I was a child due to our race and my hair, the mother was called Karen. A middle aged white blonde woman. I never really thought anything of that detail and I still don't to be honest, it's irrelevant. But it means that 'never' is actually incorrect.

Mouth I read your post twice because it was so good and this really stood out: "We're all Karen now."

I’m a white middle aged woman but interestingly I don’t find the term upsetting. I can only think if you’re upset by it, you think it’s referring to you!

Ah, of course. Great way to silence someone. To quote Sarah Ditum:

"It’s a finger trap insult, where struggling against it only makes it grip tighter. When its defenders say that there’s no reason to worry about it so long as you’re not a Karen, what they’re really doing is proffering an individual exit from the abuse — so long as you agree that some women deserve it, maybe you can qualify for a pass."

I don’t mind being called a Karen lol. It doesn’t bother me 🤣

Yanbu it is ridiculous and immature.

OK, so what do you suggest we do call people who act like total Karens?

@justanotherneighinparadise is your name Karen?

Plenty of my aunties & my mum have displayed certain Karen behaviour eg they are opinionated & pushy & have even asked to see a manager at times! 😱

Like I said upthread nothing more suitable than the word racist & the vast majority know what it means.

@RoyalCorgi

I’m a white middle aged woman but interestingly I don’t find the term upsetting. I can only think if you’re upset by it, you think it’s referring to you!

Ah, of course. Great way to silence someone. To quote Sarah Ditum:

"It’s a finger trap insult, where struggling against it only makes it grip tighter. When its defenders say that there’s no reason to worry about it so long as you’re not a Karen, what they’re really doing is proffering an individual exit from the abuse — so long as you agree that some women deserve it, maybe you can qualify for a pass."

It’s literal violence!