STOP calling people "a Karen"

[PaperwhiteTheFriendlyGhost]

Why are people so lazy and ignorant? Ironically they use it in some instances to berate someone for a perceived insult. Maybe this should be on Pedants' Corner, I don't know.

It’s hate speech. Or shall we start calling fat obstreperous women Latisha.

I hate it because my name is Karen, it gives me a jolt every time I hear it being used in a derogatory way, people also comment on it a lot. It makes it worse that I don't pronounce it in the usual way, so people assume I've changed the pronunciation because of the whole Karen thing (I haven"t).
I'd like to change it altogether, but it's the name my lovely Mum gave me and she'd be so hurt.

How awful. Your mum would be so upset. I have a friend called Karen who has been reduced to tears over this. She's such a lovely, kind person. It makes me angry.

Like we need another derogatory name for women to add to the fucking list 🙄🙄🙄

Anecdotally never met a nasty Karen. That said every Jacqui I’ve met has been pure evil.

I don't rage at anyone - I'm super polite, but my name is Karen, so yes, it bothers me. I don't understand why it has to be an actual women's name. If someone is rude, racist or whatever, then call them out on that, don't tar everyone who has the same name.

This ⬆️

This is fair regrading it’s origins but I have never heard it used IRL about this.

I have only ever heard it used to silence any (often polite) challenge/questioning of a situation by a woman over 30.

Ahhh but you see it is now ok because some women are horrible to retail staff 😳

So instead of blaming white men for racism...target the women. Plus use a name used for older women.

It doesn’t bother me. There’s a similar male equivalent: a “Kyle” who drinks too much monster and punches holes in walls.

It’s just a name for a stereotype. A stereotype which actually exists. Anyone who’s ever worked with the public knows and understands this.

I've heard it loads. And from otherwise kind and relatively smart people, mostly other women.

My manager had a terrible experience at a spa break last weekend, genuinely awful customer service from what she was telling me.

She said 'but I don't want to complain because I don't want to be seen as a Karen". It's so sad.

FFS 'Kyle' is not a thing. Don't be disingenuous and pretend that it's a relevant male equivalent to Karen.

I was born in the 60s and went to school and worked with many girls and women named Karen. It could easily have been my name. Absolutely it's misogynistic to take a common female name amongst women of my generation and use it as a slur for any woman who dares to speak up about anything at all! Nothing yu

I've worked with the public as well and understand that Karen is a misogynistic term used to shut women up from people who can't articulate themselves well.
I've never heard the term Kyle.

(posted too soon)

... Nothing to do with racism, especially not in the UK. Many black women are named Karen here actually.

Why can't some younger women see this? How would you feel about it if your mum's name was Karen?

I wish we had a care button. Karen is a lovely name however it is pronounced or spelt. Many women of my generation are called Karen, but I taught a teenage Karen a few years ago and her name really suited her. In the same way, l also taught a child called Jane a little while ago; the first l had taaught for decades as, again, it is a lovely name that was very popular in my generation. I am proud to have/have had many Janes and Karens as friends over the years. I think this is why l get so irked about people misusing a lovely name in this way. How would they like it if their name was used in such an insulting manner?

No there isn't. There is NOT a male equivalent of Karen! As previous posters have said, men are allowed to be assertive and angry and passionate about their views and opinions. Women aren't. (Especially older women!)

Women are labelled as Karens if they complain, or hysterical if they get angry. Men NEVER get this shit.

As I said earlier, the only one CLOSE to KAREN (for a man,) is 'Gammon!' (And that is unacceptable to call men too.)

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I have never ever heard a man say "I want to complain about (legitimate issue) but don't want to come off as a Darren."

Indeed - lazy, and always makes the person using the insult seem a bit thick (which pleases me greatly)

Agree, v lazy thinking

Those people who claim there's a male equivalent, then pick something random like Darren or Kyle. There isn't a male equivalent, you're making stuff up for reasons best known to yourself.

That was true for me, until my DD1 (15) started using the term. I called her out on it, asking how she would feel if people used her name in that way?

I hate it for all the reasons shared already. It’s especially poor when women use it and makes me think they have very low IQs.

Also, my whip-smart and classy best friend is called Karen and I feel sad her name has been hijacked in a pejorative way.

I agree but thankfully I've not heard it used as an insult now for a year or so - so I think it is already dying out as such.

It doesn't bother me. It's just a name for a stereotype which does exist.

You'll all be coming for the "I want to see the manager haircut" next.