To believe the team “Karen” isn’t misogynistic

[SummerAsh]

To start with… I don’t like the term. It can’t be pleasant if you are actually called Karen. And I don’t believe I’ve ever used it….

But I don’t see why it is misogynistic…. Unless someone says that all women are Karens. Some women are just insufferable, the same way some men are. Admitting this doesn’t make you misogynistic! And more than calling someone a Dick makes that person a misandrist.

Bandying the word “misogyny” around whenever anyone says anything that’s not completely complimentary about a woman just devalues the word, and makes it more difficult to call out real misogyny.

I meant “term” not “team”.

Karen is such a pretty name… Anyhoo!

It's used to shut women down specifically older women, specifically women who dare to defend or stand up for themselves. It buys into the women should be good girls demure and quiet, subservient and unassuming. Any one who uses it is misogynistic

Totally agree. I use it all time.

Yes, and it’s a pity that it’s used like this. It doesn’t make using it in a derogatory way misogynistic though, just a bit unpleasant and unkind.

Yep. This. Men don’t get told they’re being too much of a Steve or Darren or whatever, do they?

Shame on you

Well if they didn’t act like a Karen they wouldn’t need shutting down in the first place would they🤷‍♀️

Yes it is because it's used to dismiss the views of women, especially middle aged women.

Why is it unpleasant why is it unkind unpack those uncomfortable feelings using it as a pjeroative term gives you and you might start to understand why it is misogyny

Sexist, ageist, unoriginal... wish it would just bloody stop.

So women shouldnt ask someone to move a bag from a seat on a busy bus..
Or ask someone not to block their driveway...
Or to turn their music down
Not to swear loudly in a play park...

All ways ive seen women being abused with the word "Karen".

And what is a 'Karen'. A woman who stands up for herself? A strong opinionated woman? Why do you think those women need shutting down?

I've worked with a few Karen's in my time.

It’s a really boring insult used by unimaginative people. It’s also misogynistic.

Indeed

I don't analyse it. I cringe at the fact it's still being used and shows a lack of originality from the lazy user.

When people call someone a Dick, they're not referring to a stereotypical man called Richard.

Im not fixated on Karen. Happy to evolve to more sophisticated insults if you have some good ones I could adopt?

It's the same thing- a derogatory name for women, slag, scold, nag, slut, bitch, hysterical, slag, etc far more names for women than for men. Another stick to beat women with.

Of course some women can be insufferable but the term Karen is being used in both a misogynistic and ageist manner to shut a particular demographic down. It has certainly widened out from the original use against an unpleasant racist woman.
It’s a shame to use a pleasant enough name which is common in a particular demographic as an insult.
It feeds into generalising that all people in that group think alike and should just shut up and that’s how isms start.

So what's the male equivalent term? Also would you regard the use (less so now but previously very common) "dumb blonde" as misogynistic or calling someone a fish wife. Can you tell me the equivalent male terms for all of these?

But they often get called a Dicks!

I take it those "Karen's" don't carry excess apostrophes though?

My friend is a Karen. Her name is Karen and yes she will get the manager if something’s not up to scratch and so she should. We would all benefit from being a bit more Karen - able to stand up for ourselves and not take any shit. It’s time we reclaimed it as the Bouddica for our generation.