Is there a male equivalent to the use of the name Karen?

[Taoneusa]

I mean, are any male names used as an attack? “Shut up, Alex”, for example.

Dave.

We have used Dave for years in our house. Nothing to do with exBIL who was a total Dave and happily was called Dave. Nice that.

Simon? Argh I'm hiding the thread. Can't give another day to this crap.

Not a specific name but surely you've seen 'gammon' being heavily used and always towards men.

I've read Ken & Greg
and Jeff, years ago.

but I don't know if they complain to the manager as much.

"ok boomer" is unisex.

I think the whole thing is awful! Can you imagine how you would feel if your name was Karen? It’s a pretty name! Now all these women feel embarrassed over something so simple as a normal name. I know a girl called Karen who has had such a horrible few years, haven’t seen her in ages but thought about her when I read the other Karen thread the other day. I just thought if life hadn’t been shitty enough for her now she has this to deal with.
My 10 year old tried to be clever snd call my dd a Karen yesterday. I sat him down and explained how awful it was etc. He won’t do it again.
What is wrong with people?! Do they call people Karen because they aren’t intelligent enough to use another word? Possibly this is the answer - I can’t think of another one unless they are just plain cruel.
So yes, let’s all think of a male version to humiliate thousands of fellas too 🙄

The very fact that so many are coming up with different names proves the point that there is no equivalent to karen.

Kevin

@Proudboomer - exactly. I don’t think this thread is asking if there should be one (of course there shouldn’t - any more than there should one for women), more whether there was one - and there doesn’t appear to be.

Karen in the US has the connotations of over- privileged, entitled white women. In the UK it has always been a fairly straightforward, ordinary name, not with the same connotations at all. I hate that we have borrowed the term ‘a Karen’ from the states as it is horrible and doesn’t really work for us anyway. Why would you want to fish around for a male equivalent?

@roundtable

After reading one of the posts though I can see how this thread is going to go so I'm out.

Hope you find the answers you're looking for op and that it actually is answers and not just stirring the pot.

@roundtable if it’s just blank answers that are wanted then Google is extremely accessible. It’s impossible to post on a public forum and not hear public opinion. Opinion don’t equate to ‘stirring the pot’.

Wary of adding my two penneth as such a divisive issue… but here goes…

Language evolves over time and usage can vary in different locations/countries so sensitivity is needed, such as avoiding common language with racist roots (eg “uppity”) language that was once innocent but has a different modern usage or is loaded (such as Boris Johnson’s use of “letter-box” towards Muslim women), language that means something different in the US/U.K. and mindfulness that some words are offensive to some and not to others such as different LGBT perspectives to the word “queer”.

Surely it’s best to listen to those who feel offended by a slur, listen and not use it again?

Karen will always be worse than Ken because there’s an element of punching down, but it’s not nice to use real people’s names in this way. Women don’t like it, people called Karen don’t like it. Can we just not use it, and agree not to try to create a male version for ‘balance’? (There’s already plenty of gendered insults for women that don’t have a male version unsurprisingly)

With regards to the outrage - It would be good if all of those offended by “Karen” could turn that experience into understanding of the hurt caused by the more serious slurs and micro aggressions towards women of colour. But I don’t think that makes Karen ok, or a sensible substitute for calling racism out for what it is, even in the relatively rare cases that it is used in the context of a racist white woman rather than any woman who expresses an opinion ever. Surely the meaning drift of the term muddies the waters anyway, if Karen is used mainly as a general misogynistic insult these days, it can hardly call out racism effectively.

There isn’t an equivalent, as proved by the fact that whenever this is asked there will be about 8 people suggesting about 6 or 7 different names between them, none of which are generally recognised by other posters.

Just to be clear, I think the use of the name Karen as an attack is a very negative development, and I am not in any any suggesting we create a male equivalent. Question was because I couldn’t think of a male name that was used as an attack.
Chad, I think, is just a stereotypical jock. Haven’t heard of Kevin being used pejoratively.
I agree that these usages are essentially divisive and create nothing but pain.

Dave. Or Gary!

I clicked yabu because Alex(ander) is my 1 year olds name so I don't see it as a middle aged moany man's name 😂

I suppose sometimes you might call someone a “right Charlie” in an affectionate way?

Where I come from (north of England) it’s common to use insults in a gentle, comical way “give over ye daft beggar” etc so context is relevant too.

I think it’s the withering “shut up” element to Karen which makes it more loaded… probably in a similar way to ok boomer or cool story bro (which apply to males). Tbf I have never heard any of these things in real life so I do think the internet has a big part to play in all this.

With regards to the outrage - It would be good if all of those offended by “Karen” could turn that experience into understanding of the hurt caused by the more serious slurs and micro aggressions towards women of colour.

Agree.

I also think it’s not on the U.S. that Brits took on the name and chose to use it to silence women of a certain age when the meaning of “Karen” in the U.S. has not changed and includes all ages of women who terrorise minorities for unnecessary things. I think the reason Karen is still used there is because unfortunately and seemingly such people are more upset by being called a Karen than being called racist.

I've spent an unreasonable amount of time on social media in the last week - TikTok, Twitter, Instagram.

I have not once in those hours, seen anyone talk about this annoying Ken or Kevin in the grocery store. Total shit.

Gammon was it's nearest equivalent but has been shut down as being ageist/offensive. It is no where near used like it used to be post Brexit which I think is in part due to the fact it was quickly picked up as being offensive. (As well as the fact covid became more popular news story)

This is my soap box, and I will die on it.

*Tbf I have never heard any of these things in real life so I do think the internet has a big part to play in all this.

This. I think there needs to be an acknowledgement and separation on what we see and read on the Internet vs what we actually encounter and see outside of it.

Gammon is also UK based.

With regards to the outrage - It would be good if all of those offended by “Karen” could turn that experience into understanding of the hurt caused by the more serious slurs and micro aggressions towards women of colour. But I don’t think that makes Karen ok, or a sensible substitute for calling racism out for what it is, even in the relatively rare cases that it is used in the context of a racist white woman rather than any woman who expresses an opinion ever. Surely the meaning drift of the term muddies the waters anyway, if Karen is used mainly as a general misogynistic insult these days, it can hardly call out racism effectively

Well said.

As is usually the case when it comes to racism and micro aggressions, it’s the actions and response of the target that is scrutinised, rather than the actions of the wrongdoer.