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.

I hate it

It’s an effective way of calling out racist white middle class women, particularly in the US. I personally cannot be worked up by that. If it calls out the abhorrent behaviour of some women then good. I’m not going to feel sorry for racist white women just because there isn’t an equivalent name for racist white men. The solution is to find an equivalent for racist white men rather that have bleeding hearts for racist white women - poor them, poor them.

Agree. I know two karens. Both very different and both lovely. It must be very frustrating to have your name used as a slur.

If the worse insult to them is being called Karen then they should spare a thought for those who truly have hateful racist bile shouted at them day in day out. All this fragility over “Karen” is ridiculous.

@Sameolesame

It’s an effective way of calling out racist white middle class women, particularly in the US. I personally cannot be worked up by that. If it calls out the abhorrent behaviour of some women then good. I’m not going to feel sorry for racist white women just because there isn’t an equivalent name for racist white men. The solution is to find an equivalent for racist white men rather that have bleeding hearts for racist white women - poor them, poor them.

Effective... as opposed to just calling a spade a spade and calling them racists? Don’t be so obtuse. It’s nothing but ageist misogynist behaviour, used mainly in social media to shut women up when they dare to speak up about something. Racism can easily be called out without invoking an actual personal name to do so.

It’s an effective way of calling out racist white middle class women,

It is not effective at addressing anything of these things in the UK and is not used in this way.

I don't think any individual name should be used as a slur.

In the USA there are still definitely age and class connotations in using it as a slur, hence all the hair jokes.

Why should a group of middle aged, working class women have their name dragged through the mud?

If you want to call someone out for being racist just own it.
In the UK it isn't used for that purpose it is just used to shut middle aged women up, racism doesn't come into it.

It’s bullshit.

But every time I just think of Karen O, who’s fucking ace.

@Sameolesame that might have been the origination of “Karen” but it has very much evolved in the last 12 months.

I’ve only ever seen Karen used in the context most other posters are describing - to shut down a legitimate complaint or conversation by reducing a women’s opinion to nothing more than her gender and age.

If you want to call someone a racist white women then call them a racist white women, why would calling them Karen have any more impact? Surely dumbing the statement down to “Karen” reduces the impact and muddles the statement?

Would you like to speak to a manager about this?

...

I’m joking by the way before anyone jumps on!

@Sameolesame It isn't effective at all and we don't buy your bullshit. So just stop.

There are millions of women actually called Karen who are experiencing harassment for nothing other than their names, and it's spilling over into real life, not just online.

So just fuck off.

Kyle is the male equivalent.

@Sameolesame en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy

@PirateCatQueen

Kyle is the male equivalent.

Except that some people claim it's Ken, some people claim it's Chad, and some people claim it's a male Karen. Nobody can even decide on what it is, because there isn't one.

@lakesidewinter

Why should a group of middle aged, working class women have their name dragged through the mud?

If you want to call someone out for being racist just own it.
In the UK it isn't used for that purpose it is just used to shut middle aged women up, racism doesn't come into it.

Working class? Seems you're complaining about a word you don't understand - it absolutely doesn't describe working class women.

"Racist" is already used to describe racists. Karen goes beyond that; theyre racist, they're entitled.

I do take all of your points about the frustrations of (perfectly nice, normal) women named Karen. But I don't disagree with there being a word to describe this type of person, albeit not ideal that it's an existing name.

On social media, people use "Brexit", "Farage" "🇬🇧" to describe a certain type of man.

I'm absolutely not in the market of silencing women, and I am and always have been a staunch feminist. Calling out racist, entitled middle class women does not, in my mind, devalue my position as a feminist. Though agreed, a different word (& therefore saving the poor pre-named Karens of the world) would be better.

[quote kness]@Sameolesame It isn't effective at all and we don't buy your bullshit. So just stop.

There are millions of women actually called Karen who are experiencing harassment for nothing other than their names, and it's spilling over into real life, not just online.

So just fuck off.[/quote]
"we don't buy your bullshit. So just stop."

in one breath..

"Karen is used to silence middle aged women"

In the next.

Hmm.

Using the term 'Karen' is the hallmark of an idiot. It will die out soon when the people who use it realise they're coming across as thick as mince. Like 'snowflake' and 'gammon' which are thankfully starting to die a death, or the annoying trend of sticking an animal onto the end of an insult eg cuntpuffin, wankbadger etc.

Reading that post.... all I could think is “sorry Karen”

I can see why this term developed in the black community to describe a particular type of behaviour. If it had stayed there, it wouldn't be a problem. I think, as some pp have also said, the real problem is that sexist white men are using the term to try to shut down and demean any assertive woman when there is no race element involved.

Actually it's also being used by women, who are trying to be cool and edgy by joining in with the sexism.

Working class? Seems you're complaining about a word you don't understand - it absolutely doesn't describe working class women.

We just don't agree, not seeing the world the way you do doesn't mean I don't understand it.

My view is in the UK Karen is a popular insult in part because it is a working class rather than middle class name and the UK is a highly class ridden society.

Also if you want to call people entitled and racist call them that.
Don't use a women's name to cover this behavior in half the population and absolutely nothing to cover the other half.

I actually disagree with that. I don't consider it to be a working class name and I don't understand why so many people on here keep saying it is. It's a pretty universal name found in all groups.

Maybe it would be fairer to say it isn't upper middle class on reflection.

It isn't the kind of name my fairly posh mum would have ever considered for her dc but the working class area I grew up in had a good few, move to RG Uni again no dc with that name.