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.

@AmICrazyorWhat2 are you that ignorant? You said:

“I’m a white woman living in a majority African-American area and believe me, if I decided to pick a name and stereotype a person of color, it wouldn’t go down at all well”

You are comparing this to what exactly? A Black women in a predominantly white area using the Karen?

If you cannot see all the problems with what you’ve just written then there is no hope for you and your deep seated prejudice and blindness to white privilege.

As someone said up thread, mumsnet clearly caters for a specific demographic with potentially a majority of Karens who shout about misogyny as it’s the preserve of white middle aged women who apparently are the most oppressed in society.

[quote Sameolesame]@AmICrazyorWhat2 are you that ignorant? You said:

“I’m a white woman living in a majority African-American area and believe me, if I decided to pick a name and stereotype a person of color, it wouldn’t go down at all well”

You are comparing this to what exactly? A Black women in a predominantly white area using the Karen?

If you cannot see all the problems with what you’ve just written then there is no hope for you and your deep seated prejudice and blindness to white privilege.

As someone said up thread, mumsnet clearly caters for a specific demographic with potentially a majority of Karens who shout about misogyny as it’s the preserve of white middle aged women who apparently are the most oppressed in society.[/quote]
@Sameolesame. I’m talking about the offensiveness of ANY labels applied to ANYONE.

It’s ALL offensive and it perpetuates social divisions. Can you not see that?

I really doubt you know much about the complexity of American society.

Women of all ages from backgrounds that are not white have not be heard or seen for hundreds of years. Call a certain white woman Karen and then suddenly eyes are open to this nonsense of white middle aged women being shut down. The very same who have been instrumental in denying other women a voice and visibility. If the usage of Karen is a notable oppression for white middle age obnoxious women then that says a lot.

@AmICrazyorWhat2 you are only confirming you staggering ignorance. I guess you will be shouting AllLivesMatter?

@Sameolesame and do you really expect a predominantly British website to understand the woes of America? I think you will find little sympathy on here

[quote Sameolesame]@AmICrazyorWhat2 you are only confirming you staggering ignorance. I guess you will be shouting AllLivesMatter?[/quote]
@Sameolesame

Do you live in the US or have you ever lived here?

I think the term and meme has different meanings in the US and the UK. The UK one was about middle aged women of any colour being assertive or bossy but somehow the concept in the USA has become conflated with race (I don't see what entitlement and racism have to do with one another, they are quite separate issues).

Then another meaning , also in the USA has emerged, that of middle aged women (of any colour) having meltdowns over wearing masks.

It is bizarre as all three have entirely separate meanings , one has nowt to do with t'other.

@Sameolesame

Actually I can see by the default spelling in your posts that you’re not in the US. Whereas my posts default to American spellings because I am.

So my perspective is bound to be different to yours. Unless you’re an American living in the UK.

@Lillyhoneyrose Well put. I had drafted a comment saying the same thing, but you put it so much better.

I still don't get the insistence on sticking to the name Karen? Why that name?

I don't see what entitlement and racism have to do with one another, they are quite separate issues)

What?

I actually wouldn't consider Amy Cooper to be a Karen even in the race sense. She is only in her 30s and middle class. The traditional Karen seems to be a working class woman over 45.

I mean, why not just call out the racist or entitled behaviour?

Entitlement isn't a race or gender issue. Entitled behaviour is seen in all races, genders, ages. I haven't seen it in one group more than another.

if my name was Karen, then i would own it and laugh too....i've just watched a fresh batch of Karen videos on youtube and forgot how funny they were

Crikey. I'm glad I'm not you. What a depressing existence you must have.

@Lillyhoneyrose

But the American meme is directed towards white, middle-class women who are racists. It's entirely different.

@AmICrazyorWhat2

I am in the UK. However, you have no idea about my links to the US and frankly I don’t see how it matters. But if it helps, I lived it New Jersey for 15 years. Visit every year except this year because ALL my brothers and sisters are over there. The vast majority of my high school friends live n the US (long story about why but if you think hard enough you’ll be able to work out where I grew up).

I still don’t see how this adds or subtracts from your incredibly ignorant statements.

I’m a white woman living in a majority African-American area and believe me, if I decided to pick a name and stereotype a person of color, it wouldn’t go down at all well.

Of course it wouldn’t considering the history that the US has with black people and every black-sounding name already gets stereotyped and frowned upon. Black Americans still get less interviews having a perceived Black name compared to White names.

Of course it wouldn’t considering the history that the US has with black people and every black-sounding name already gets stereotyped and frowned upon. Black Americans still get less interviews having a perceived Black name compared to White names.

Oh well, I'm sure turning it round and calling white women Karen's for anything they do is really going to help redress the balance with that.

Oh. Wait....

I just don’t understand why you say that placing a label on anyone, such as the “Karen” label, is OK. It’s divisive, doesn’t matter who it is or who does it. A label is bound to be misused and/or turn nasty.

Why not call out the specific person and their behavior instead? As PP’s have suggested.

• Oh well, I'm sure turning it round and calling white women Karen's for anything they do is really going to help redress the balance with that.

Oh. Wait....*

Where did I say that?

am I the only person that has not heard this phrase used outside of MN?

Racism, especially threatening a black man with a possible death sentence by calling the cops on him is very serious. Calling someone who does this a Karen and creating silly memes seems a bit belittling of actual racism to me. Linking it to a woman being a bit stroppy and forceful is really minimising of a serious issue. We all laugh at silly women who are bossy and have breakdowns in public over mask wearing or other issues. It is annoying to retail or service staff and very unpleasant but it is rarely deadly. Unlike racism which can cost lives.

This is why the Karen thing needs to die. women like Amy Cooper are potentially dangerous and maybe even evil. Your average stroppy mare , socially economically not very powerful middle aged woman isn't in the same league.

I can understand people filming racism incidents so they can be helpful for the police and court, but when people whip their phones out and film some woman freaking out in a walmart or something it seems crazy to me. Would you like people filming you when you are having as bad day and having what looks like (in many of these videos) a vulnerable person having an anxiety attack so they can be laughed at on reddit, it seems pointless .

am not saying people should be rude to service staff. But I think the power imbalance there is not comparable to an Amy Cooper situation.

I am not in as Karen demographic and no my name is not Karen either so I have no dog in this fight but I do find these misogynistic tropes very tiring.

It's the general theme of the thread phoenix. I'm not accusing you directly of calling white women a Karen. I've no idea if you have or not. I haven't gone back to check.

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay No you're not. I've never heard it anywhere else apart from Mumsnet either.

@kaliorphic and who are you to say my existence must be miserable because i enjoy Karen videos?