Can't stand people referring to others as a 'Karen'

[shesellsseashells99]

I'm fed up with seeing it, I really have. it's gone way too far now. I have a friend who is ashamed of her name and won't post on any public forum because of the stick she gets. Constantly seeing stupid memes.

You may think I'm being too serious but I think it's so derogatory to people who have that name.

'Maybe when some white american women stop calling the police when they see black people bird watching in central park, having a barbeque in a permitted area, or black children selling water bottles on a hot day, then the meme will die a natural death'

Just call them arseholes then . Also 'white women', really?!!

Sorry not Getoff 100

@MsTSwift

Get off and Same you know you will be older women yourselves too one day?! (If you are lucky). Then you’ll see (hobbles off cackling)

Oh and a man driver drove into me today on my bike. These fifty something men shouldn’t be on the roads!

I wouldn’t be seen dead with a spiky haircut though no offence

Never say never!

Also 'white women', really?!!

Yup. Karens can be found calling the police over all manner of things; a black family entering a house which the white woman deems too suspicious. A black man in a lift in his own building which the white woman doesn't think he has any right to be inside. A black kid walking to school in their uniform but for some reason suspected by a white woman to be on the verge of committing a crime. To be honest anywhere a black person is just going about their normal day but a white woman doesn't think they belong in can result in a phone call being made to the police. Only difference is now there's smartphones as in the past just the mere act of said white woman crying would be enough to sentence some of these Black men to jail. From what I gather just being Black in America is exhausting.

The reason it matters that 'Karen' is defined in the behaviour of some women is nothing to do with sexism but to debunk the notion that white women could never behave in this manner - i.e. the myth of white feminism/ fragility and all that fun stuff which Black women have been exhausted with for years.

Gosh it’s a good thing white men in America don’t do such things, isn’t it?

@Meraas

So why not stop doing it?! All these labels perpetuate social division and that’s not healthy

Maybe when some white american women stop calling the police when they see black people bird watching in central park, having a barbeque in a permitted area, or black children selling water bottles on a hot day, then the meme will die a natural death? I don't use the term but I can see why black people have to use it sometimes.

@Meraas. I live in an American city and while there are certainly people who do what you describe, it’s not typical. It’s become a stereotype through social media.

People are shot in gang violence every day where I live- it doesn’t mean that everyone who vaguely resembles a stereotyped “look” of a gang member ( which is probably inaccurate anyway) should be labeled as such. That would be appalling, racist and sexist.

We need to stop using these labels. It’s an awful feature of contemporary American society and as a Brit living here, it drives me mad. People can’t seem to recognize that they’re all Americans, they constantly look for differences and perpetuate existing social divisions. It’s so counter-productive.

Add to the list the black girl who was reported to the police by her fellow white alumnus for being in her own common room at Yale. The kicker on that one is that the white girl has pulled the stunt before and yet the police still turned up (three of them) to interrogate the black girl and she had to prove she lived in the dorms. If I was that black girl I would call that girl what ever I wanted. Why should that girl call her an ‘arsehole‘?

'The reason it matters that 'Karen' is defined in the behaviour of some women is nothing to do with sexism but to debunk the notion that white women could never behave in this manner'

Sexist and racist. I'm appalled that in thus current climate people are still making sweeping statements based on the colour of people's skin.

I can only imagine how swiftly I'd be deleted if I made a comment announcing how I thought 'some' black women behaved.

I live in an American city and while there are certainly people who do what you describe, it’s not typical. It’s become a stereotype through social media

Sorry but I don’t buy this. There are way too many videos on YouTube that show that this is something that happens far too many times to black / Hispanic / visibly Muslim/Sikh people in the US.

@Meraas

Add to the list the black girl who was reported to the police by her fellow white alumnus for being in her own common room at Yale. The kicker on that one is that the white girl has pulled the stunt before and yet the police still turned up (three of them) to interrogate the black girl and she had to prove she lived in the dorms. If I was that black girl I would call that girl what ever I wanted. Why should that girl call her an ‘arsehole‘?

@Meraas. Stupid people exist everywhere. A few weeks ago, I heard a middle-aged African American man threaten to call the police on an elderly white woman, because she said that he needed to put his mask on before entering a shop. Mask-wearing is mandatory here ( not the same exemptions as in the UK) and she was being interfering- but to threaten to call the police at the top of your voice?

There’s stupidity everywhere, among everyone,

Gosh it’s a good thing white men in America don’t do such things, isn’t it?

Oh wow! Who knew this!! Of course they do. That's why it is important not to lump in women with the actions of men. White women are of course not white men. White men can't really do white women tears for instance. And many white women support white men in upholding these structures as it benefits them to do so.

@Meraas

I live in an American city and while there are certainly people who do what you describe, it’s not typical. It’s become a stereotype through social media

Sorry but I don’t buy this. There are way too many videos on YouTube that show that this is something that happens far too many times to black / Hispanic / visibly Muslim/Sikh people in the US.

I know there are. But people only post drama on social media, not everyday, pleasant interactions. That would be boring.

Of course it happens, but in a country of 330 million people, it probably doesn’t happen as frequently as SM infers.

It shouldn’t happen and I hope American society will eventually get to a better place. It’s changed
a lot since the 1960’s, but there’s a long way to go. I still think that labeling and stereotypes don’t help.

'White women are of course not white men. White men can't really do white women tears for instance. And many white women support white men in upholding these structures as it benefits them to do so.'

'White' said 5 times!! Again imagine if I made such wild generalisations about other ethnicities..

If someone is behaving like a cunt call them that. No need for this race baiting, divisive crap.

Back in the early 80s, there were no memes but there was a craze for describing someone considered to be stupid as a 'wally'. Books titled 'How To Be A Wally' and 'Superwally' were bestsellers. It really was quite a big thing.

My late Dad, Mr. Wally Jackdaw, was sick to the back teeth of it and it followed him round for the rest of his life. I've got lots of sympathy for today's RL Karens.

Stupid people exist everywhere. A few weeks ago, I heard a middle-aged African American man threaten to call the police on an elderly white woman, because she said that he needed to put his mask on before entering a shop. Mask-wearing is mandatory here ( not the same exemptions as in the UK) and she was being interfering- but to threaten to call the police at the top of your voice?

See this is why I wasn't buying your earlier post, because your response to documented, videographed racism to black people is whatabouttery. Do you also believe in #alllivesmatter ?

Just seems so silly and old fashioned to be throwing out “white women” accusations- what all of them? Like young black men are in gangs and young Indian women are meek 🙄. Thought we were trying to move away from this lazy way of thinking. Very peculiar (and depressing) to see young people vociferously defending it.

'White' said 5 times!! Again imagine if I made such wild generalisations about other ethnicities..

All the examples I have posted about white women trying to get black people in trouble have been recorded on YouTube/news channels. No generalisations.

It's a shame that you're more hurt by the use of the word 'white' rather than the frustration, helplessness and bewilderment felt by black people when subjected to racist abuse by white women in the examples listed upthread.

As usual women get the blame while male violence is just background noise carrying no moral value either way.

None of which has anything to do with the vast majority of Karen jokes online, which are about speaking to the manager and having crap hair.

@emilyfrost

YABU and ridiculous. Don’t like it? Tough shit; while it’s an accurate way to describe a behaviour it’s going to continue to be used.

How is it an "accurate way to describe a behaviour"? That's not true is it? Do you read your posts before posting?. How would you like it if not properly articulating yourself was called an "Emily" (or whatever your real name is)? And that being plastered all over SM.

And that's not the worst problem with it. It's the fact that it's a woman's name fir which there is no male equivalent and it's used to put women back in their box. It's blatantly sexist and misogynistic and all women (whether they are called Karen or not) should be bloody up in arms about it.

@VladmirsPoutine

Gosh it’s a good thing white men in America don’t do such things, isn’t it?

Oh wow! Who knew this!! Of course they do. That's why it is important not to lump in women with the actions of men. White women are of course not white men. White men can't really do white women tears for instance. And many white women support white men in upholding these structures as it benefits them to do so.

Uh-huh, yes.

Can you explain how a young white British man calling a middle-aged white British women ‘a Karen’ for complaining about something in a shop is heroically upholding the cause of anti-racist activism in America? I’m sure it’s obvious and I’m just missing a step, but...

Can you explain how a young white British man calling a middle-aged white British women ‘a Karen’ for complaining about something in a shop is heroically upholding the cause of anti-racist activism in America? I’m sure it’s obvious and I’m just missing a step, but...

Can you explain why it's the fault of black people in the US that young white British men have hijacked the term to use it about middle-aged white British women and why that means black people should stop using it?

I only want UK sm users to drop the Karen meme. America is nowt to do with me, half their nation voted for Trump ffs. Crack on.

@Meepmeeep

Nigel and Norman are just 2 examples of what I perceive to be and have seen used as a male equivalent to Karen.

In recent threads (including this one) I've now seen the names Kevin, Ken, Chad, Nigel and Norman purporting to be the "male equivalent of Karen". The fact that no-one can agree on what the male equivalent is demonstrates clearly that there is no male equivalent. Everyone has bloody heard of "Karen"; it's bloody everywhere. There's no debate over that name or alternatives being suggested as a likely candidate.

I have NEVER seen any of the male names above on SM used as a slur. I've seen Karen used about a trillion times.