Do you find the term/meme 'Karen' an insult?

[VladmirsPoutine]

This is a discussion I have recently read a few opinion pieces about.

Do you think it's indeed classist, racist and misogynistic to describe certain women as a Karen?

Do you not understand that even if an individual was behaving in the way you describe using the blanket term "Karen" is still wrong?
Do you not understand that I have repeatedly said I'm not a fan of the term including the post you've just quoted from?!

Your reply has literally just illustrated what I've just said here:
Despite explaining this and saying I'm not a fan of the term was enough to be reprimanded for not agreeing with some hive mind

Sure enough
Me: I've only seen the term used in this way. I don't like it but just explaining how I've seen it used seems to be enough to get reprimanded on here.
You: Don't you understand? Let me patronise you by educating you on how wrong the thing you've said you don't agree with is.

(Bangs head against brick wall)

I can remember when the term for 'sissy' (I suppose that would be Cicely in origin) was 'a right Mary Ann' or 'Pamela'. No different to any other name - that was sort of the point.

... Do you not understand that I have repeatedly said I'm not a fan of the term..

I understand, Lola, because I do read what you've actually written.

... 'a right Mary Ann'..

Blimey! I haven't heard that for centuries!

Sissy comes from sister, it would be used to a man usually - meaning they are acting like a woman.

HorseRadishFemish

I never thought it would need spelling out that not being a fan of something and sharing a different experience doesn't mean agreeing with something.

"Not being a fan" of is rather weak condemnation, particularly as that poster kept giving examples of "Karen" like behaviour- which oddly were only of middle aged women.

Sigh.
Because they were examples of times I've heard Karen used (namely for a woman who is behaving in a way that is belittling and bullying to shop/service staff).

Some people have seen it used as sweeping way to dismiss all middle aged women for having an opinion or speaking up. I said I'd only seen and heard it used for specific situations and gave examples.

It would be fairly pointless in a discussion surrounding the use of the word Karen as an insult to start listing examples that aren't attributed to it.

Lola, quite a few of us have seen it used to dismiss any older woman, especially on Twitter. That rather overrides the original meaning.

It's a bit like those people who used to insist that "gay" just meant happy and hadn't evolved to mean anything else.

Do you guys also think the term plain Jane is insulting? Billy no mates? Micky finn is bad as well, imagine being called Micky and being associated with slipping drugs into someone's drink.

Genuine question.

"Us guys?"

Hang on, I'll page the Hivemind and see what is has to say.

Give it less than a year and the phrase “Karen” will be used against any woman who has an opinion. It won’t just be kept for those dreary middle aged women.

My name is Karen.
I am recovering from life-long disordered eating problems.
I am sent Karen memes all the time (woke up to two on WhatsApp just this morning)
I was once sent one that said “hide your snacks, Karen! You fat slag!” By a woman who calls herself a “proud feminist” and a white man. Everyone in that WhatsApp group conversation found it hilarious. I didn’t eat for two days after that. When I complained online about this, I was piled on by people saying “lol - of course your name is Karen”

Someone please explain to me how Karen memes are not sexist and just plain mean? I’ve seen the reasoning that they stem from POC in the USA to speak out against white women that try to silence them. How does calling me a fat slag do this?

It's just a new shorthand for misogyny against a certain 'type' of woman - like using Sharon and/or Tracy was in the 80s as a shorthand for 'common' women. The vile, repulsive Alan Clark MP called his two dogs Sharon and Tracy and everyone thought it sooooo amusing

Sorry that happened to you bee222
Handy way to tell who to delete off your phone though, like an asshole detector.

To be called a Karen is usually to describe how annoying someone is.
Usually the name of a mother with a bobbed/spikey hairstyle who wants nothing but the absolute best for her children. Usually going as far as asking to speak to the manager if the macaroni and cheese her kid ordered wasn't up to her expectation. Basically a mother who thinks the world revolves around her and gives other people a hard time if they disagree with her views/beliefs.

If if a kid calls you a Karen it could simply be meant to be a short witted insult if they find you annoying. Sometimes it's just a short witted insult.

Speaking of short witted - did you read any of the thread before commenting?

Bang on iggi..

Yes I find it very annoying. Also see "becky"
It's aimed at silencing and attacking
women. The guise of it being white women only to make it more "acceptable"

I would severely judge anyone who used it

Fine to laugh at entitled people making a fuss of things but this use of Karen and Becky is a micro aggression.

Yes, those amazingly I am on a facebook group of allegedly gender critical women, many of whom were arguing that it is not. It blatantly is.

I'm oddly pleased that this rather magnificent lady is actually called Karen. Karens are obviously talented and imaginative.

Fine to laugh at entitled people making a fuss of things

Is it? I really don't understand the reasoning that making a fuss about things which aren't right is some sort of unacceptable behaviour.

I'm white , middle class, well- off and articulate. I suppose in woke- speak "I'm entitled" If I were poor or unemployed or not white or not articulate does that mean I can make a complaint without being laughed at?

'Karen' is being used as a way to shut middle-aged white women down.

Think of it this way. Suppose people started referring to middle-aged black men as 'Geoffrey'. Then whenever a middle-aged black man has an opinion in public they don't like, they shut him down with 'okay Geoffrey'. I'm sure the problem would be clear then.

Only Karen's take offence to Karen

Errrm yeh. Just like if any left wing remainiac who disagreed with a white male brexiteer, would call them a gammon!! Guess your one of them