Helen Lewis Karen article

[CivilCervix]

Helen Lewis has written an on point analysis of the Karen meme for The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/08/karen-meme-coronavirus/615355/

‘Ageism is also a factor... As women shoutt and rantt and protestt_ in out-of-context clips designed to paint them in the most viral-friendly light possible, they are portrayed as witches, harridans, harpies: women who dare to keep existing, speaking, and asking to see the manager, after their reproductive peak.’

That's a great article, thanks for sharing. It clearly spells out a lot of the things I've thought but been unable to pin down with facts. Helen Lewis is brilliant.

Thank you for posting- what a brilliant article! I love her writing.

Fantastic article, thank you for posting. Yet again, US cultural imperialism pushes a 'meme' on the UK that doesn't really make a lot of sense, given our completely different history, culture and society.

She's such a good writer. Really interesting piece.

That was excellent. The best thing I've read on this subject.

@SunsetBeetch

That was excellent. The best thing I've read on this subject.

Isn't it! I'm a huge fan

Thanks! I've been struggling to articulate myself round "Karen" - that was helpful

Such a thought-provoking piece of writing.

@ArabellaScott

Fantastic article, thank you for posting. Yet again, US cultural imperialism pushes a 'meme' on the UK that doesn't really make a lot of sense, given our completely different history, culture and society.

Absolutely. And then people in this country defending its use by quoting the use of Felicia, Chad and Kyle - again all US in origin and context 🙄 Even these examples of names as lazy stereotypes don’t have the same traction or throughly unpleasant connotations that Karen has - but of course, Karen is an older woman’s name so definitely ageist as well.

Aye, totally, the response of 'but men are Chads' just utterly meaningless anywhere outside of the US. I've no idea what it means.

I believe it means the good looking guy in high school who all the girls like - hardly an insult.
I think the fact that no male equivalent has gained anything like the traction of the Karen meme tells us something about how ingrained misogynistic attitudes are. I have heard people defending it saying it isn’t gender specific and that it is describing entitled behaviour! So disingenuous when they know it is a gendered name and all the memes and overwhelming majority of videos feature women, especially older women. If a man is called a ‘Karen’ the insult is from him acting like a nagging woman. It is deliberately attributing a name associated with an older woman with all sorts of poor behaviour. It is the modern day equivalent to a witch hunt! Blaming a certain type of woman for all the world’s ills!

@ArabellaScott

Aye, totally, the response of 'but men are Chads' just utterly meaningless anywhere outside of the US. I've no idea what it means.

I'm in the US and never see Chad used except in defense of being able to use Karen.

She really covered everything, including the idea that the internet 'speaks American'. Love her work.

Thank you!! Excellent article.

Love Helen Lewis. She's wonderful.

It is a brilliant article.

Though I saw someone on Twitter saying that they preferred someone else’s (contrary) take to this “lengthy article” - ie “didn’t read it”

This is the problem. “Ok Karen” is short and pithy. Rebutting it, explaining why it’s offensive and sexist and reductive takes time. Which those who fling it around don’t want to listen to / don’t have the inclination or intelligence to consider.

I find it such a lazy mean comment, the way it is used in the UK in particular is so sexist and ageist. It’s symptomatic of our age and it follows Ok Boomer and of course comments about snowflakes too. There’s no nuance, no reasoned debate, no hearing an alternative view . There’s no room to explain yourself and to be heard. And of course us stupid entitled middle age / older women should STFU shouldn’t we. As just by opening our mouths to remonstrate we demonstrate our “Karen-ness”.

Good article.

Afaik "Chad" is used in incel communities to represent the man that gets all the girls instead of them. Of course, women are shallow bitches for fawning over Chad instead of the incel.