Is Karen considered a racial slur?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a server hands you an incorrect or incomplete order, of course you should ask to have it corrected. If the server is of another race, how is that racist? The whole thing is ridiculous.

Again, it all depends on how you interact with people. Ask nicely and don’t talk down to anyone and you’ll be fine.

Don't be an uppity woman, eh?

Don’t be a rude MFer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever it once was, which people can't seem to agree upon, it is NOW a way to silence middle-aged white women.

Time to stop using it.

x1000. I think people won’t get this message about how offensive this term is to middle-aged women because it really is a group that doesn’t matter to anyone — not professionally, no longer care-takers now that children have grown, no longer attractive. Even young women on this thread don’t get it (maybe because you don’t like to think of this happening to you — just a thought).

Who are you assuming are young women?

Definitely just an assumption. But a lot of commenters don’t seem to understand the argument against using this term, because maybe they can’t relate. They can’t understand how aging creeps up and hits hard, how becoming invisible when you were once not at all is shocking. And how the term “Karen” embodies the life shift this group of women are experiencing (I don’t know why men get a break here, but they do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Racist and sexist. When you take a term associated with a specific race, age, gender, or nationality and use it to negatively describe an action, that term is a slur.

A “Karen” refers to a white, older woman. Using a term that reflects age, race, and gender to denigrate another is using the term as a slur.

Our society doesn’t look at it like a slur, because it’s seen as socially acceptable to denigrate white women. Same with the term “Becky”.

I call people out on it all the time. We should be encouraging women to use their voices.

100, even when -- or maybe especially when -- that is a group of women who have been silenced and told that what they have should is good enough for them.

Karens are infraction vigilantes, we don’t need “hall monitors” in society. I don’t encourage this speaking and those [people] need to stop trying to control others.

+1 (with correction)

Do we need hall monitors to correct the hall monitors? Maybe just leave people alone.

It has nothing to do with being a vigilante or correcting others. A Karen is going over someone's head to get what she wants. Which I am all for. That's why this is a generational thing -- in the olden days, people actually cared about others. If someone had a complaint, it was taken seriously, in most situations. Now if you complain to someone behind the counter they just go into greyrock mode and pretend they're not there. In the olden days, if you spoke to a manager about that they would be appalled and try to make it right -- because customers mattered. These days no one matters -- not the customer and not the indentured servant behind the counter and not the manager. We're all just part of the money-making machine. Irrelevant. That's why the Karen is ridiculous -- she can't accept that she means nothing in this world. Just like the rest of us.

We should all be Karens. We should all speak up and say, dammnit my experience matters.

This is the original Karen:

You have just applied your very own definition. This is not what everyone means. The insult is meaningless if everyone uses it differently. Karen is sometimes just asking to be treated like everyone else.

Says the person making up a whole new definition of the word.

Therr have been multiple definitions given here. There isn’t universal agreement. Is it a racist vigilante? An annoying older woman? A rude male customer? Take your pick.

[Anonymous]

Our fractured society is trying to heal itself by uniting in hatred against a group nobody likes: middle-aged white women who dare to express needs in public. Troubled times always result in demonization of some group. This is not the first time it has been middle-aged women.

The phenomenon of "truthiness" is also happening here, because whether or not white middle-aged women as a group are actually guilty if the crimes attributed to us, the accusation just *feels right* to other groups who are in fact reacting to how we're easy to blame, not pretty anymore, or asking them to do something inconvenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a server hands you an incorrect or incomplete order, of course you should ask to have it corrected. If the server is of another race, how is that racist? The whole thing is ridiculous.

Again, it all depends on how you interact with people. Ask nicely and don’t talk down to anyone and you’ll be fine.

Don't be an uppity woman, eh?

Don’t be a rude MFer.

Or try to rent an available bike to get home from work from an entitled teen? How does that fit?

[Anonymous]

Only to Karens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a middle aged white woman and do not consider it a racial slur. Karens are busybodies and misdemeanor vigilantes against minorities. Not sure why other middle age women want to defend this behavior and label it racist?

When did this become part of the Karen stereotype? I’m a middle aged white woman and when I first started hearing the term, I took it as a light hearted stereotype of a certain type of demanding woman. It always seemed as if the term were meant to be comical and not taken too seriously. All of a sudden it morphed into something much more sinister. That Karen was a racist who went after minorities. This wasn’t part of the original use was it?

It’s not a demanding woman. It is a woman asserting her privilege(many times it’s white woman privilege) and putting others around her in their place. It’s the contempt and distain for anyone who they view as lesser(which is everyone).

*disdain

Why attach a common name to this? Because it is an easy way to denigrate middle-aged women who simply don’t matter anymore. Why can’t you see this?

Dp. They can’t see it because they are too ingrained in a system that diminishes women, while denying it’s happening. Kinda like systemic racism.. systemic misogyny is alive and well, but apparently more tolerated by DCUM.

Please if you don’t matter and are displaced why are you comfortable acting like you have special privileges vs everyone else? People are not calling a random white woman “Karen”. They are calling out the(usually) white, upper class woman who is going out of her way to enforce her privilege and entitlement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a middle aged white woman and do not consider it a racial slur. Karens are busybodies and misdemeanor vigilantes against minorities. Not sure why other middle age women want to defend this behavior and label it racist?

When did this become part of the Karen stereotype? I’m a middle aged white woman and when I first started hearing the term, I took it as a light hearted stereotype of a certain type of demanding woman. It always seemed as if the term were meant to be comical and not taken too seriously. All of a sudden it morphed into something much more sinister. That Karen was a racist who went after minorities. This wasn’t part of the original use was it?

It’s not a demanding woman. It is a woman asserting her privilege(many times it’s white woman privilege) and putting others around her in their place. It’s the contempt and distain for anyone who they view as lesser(which is everyone).

*disdain

Why attach a common name to this? Because it is an easy way to denigrate middle-aged women who simply don’t matter anymore. Why can’t you see this?

Dp. They can’t see it because they are too ingrained in a system that diminishes women, while denying it’s happening. Kinda like systemic racism.. systemic misogyny is alive and well, but apparently more tolerated by DCUM.

Please if you don’t matter and are displaced why are you comfortable acting like you have special privileges vs everyone else? People are not calling a random white woman “Karen”. They are calling out the(usually) white, upper class woman who is going out of her way to enforce her privilege and entitlement.

White people have "privilege." So what. Instead of wanting everyone to be treated that way, you want white women to shut the f up and be treated like they have none. How does that make sense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a middle aged white woman and do not consider it a racial slur. Karens are busybodies and misdemeanor vigilantes against minorities. Not sure why other middle age women want to defend this behavior and label it racist?

When did this become part of the Karen stereotype? I’m a middle aged white woman and when I first started hearing the term, I took it as a light hearted stereotype of a certain type of demanding woman. It always seemed as if the term were meant to be comical and not taken too seriously. All of a sudden it morphed into something much more sinister. That Karen was a racist who went after minorities. This wasn’t part of the original use was it?

It’s not a demanding woman. It is a woman asserting her privilege(many times it’s white woman privilege) and putting others around her in their place. It’s the contempt and distain for anyone who they view as lesser(which is everyone).

*disdain

Why attach a common name to this? Because it is an easy way to denigrate middle-aged women who simply don’t matter anymore. Why can’t you see this?

Dp. They can’t see it because they are too ingrained in a system that diminishes women, while denying it’s happening. Kinda like systemic racism.. systemic misogyny is alive and well, but apparently more tolerated by DCUM.

Please if you don’t matter and are displaced why are you comfortable acting like you have special privileges vs everyone else? People are not calling a random white woman “Karen”. They are calling out the(usually) white, upper class woman who is going out of her way to enforce her privilege and entitlement.

They actually are calling “random” white women “Karen” without knowing anything about her. Exhibit A: pregnant nurse trying to get home on a bike. Does she fit your definition? Nope, she’s just a white woman who had a need and tried to stand up for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a middle aged white woman and do not consider it a racial slur. Karens are busybodies and misdemeanor vigilantes against minorities. Not sure why other middle age women want to defend this behavior and label it racist?

When did this become part of the Karen stereotype? I’m a middle aged white woman and when I first started hearing the term, I took it as a light hearted stereotype of a certain type of demanding woman. It always seemed as if the term were meant to be comical and not taken too seriously. All of a sudden it morphed into something much more sinister. That Karen was a racist who went after minorities. This wasn’t part of the original use was it?

It’s not a demanding woman. It is a woman asserting her privilege(many times it’s white woman privilege) and putting others around her in their place. It’s the contempt and distain for anyone who they view as lesser(which is everyone).

*disdain

Why attach a common name to this? Because it is an easy way to denigrate middle-aged women who simply don’t matter anymore. Why can’t you see this?

Dp. They can’t see it because they are too ingrained in a system that diminishes women, while denying it’s happening. Kinda like systemic racism.. systemic misogyny is alive and well, but apparently more tolerated by DCUM.

Please if you don’t matter and are displaced why are you comfortable acting like you have special privileges vs everyone else? People are not calling a random white woman “Karen”. They are calling out the(usually) white, upper class woman who is going out of her way to enforce her privilege and entitlement.

Ok, entire conversation flying right over your head. Just sit tight, might take a while.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It's only used with regard to white women. If its not racist, please let me know what I can call a similarly situated black, hispanic, asian, etc. woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our fractured society is trying to heal itself by uniting in hatred against a group nobody likes: middle-aged white women who dare to express needs in public. Troubled times always result in demonization of some group. This is not the first time it has been middle-aged women.

The phenomenon of "truthiness" is also happening here, because whether or not white middle-aged women as a group are actually guilty if the crimes attributed to us, the accusation just *feels right* to other groups who are in fact reacting to how we're easy to blame, not pretty anymore, or asking them to do something inconvenient.

I mean seriously! Why can't minorities see that we're the ultimate societal victims and you're hurting our feelings by pointing out how we wield and abuse our power in the most irritating of ways? Won't someone please think of the rich middle aged white women and our terrible terrible plight of getting called a name for being an elitist busybody!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a middle aged white woman and do not consider it a racial slur. Karens are busybodies and misdemeanor vigilantes against minorities. Not sure why other middle age women want to defend this behavior and label it racist?

When did this become part of the Karen stereotype? I’m a middle aged white woman and when I first started hearing the term, I took it as a light hearted stereotype of a certain type of demanding woman. It always seemed as if the term were meant to be comical and not taken too seriously. All of a sudden it morphed into something much more sinister. That Karen was a racist who went after minorities. This wasn’t part of the original use was it?

It’s not a demanding woman. It is a woman asserting her privilege(many times it’s white woman privilege) and putting others around her in their place. It’s the contempt and distain for anyone who they view as lesser(which is everyone).

*disdain

Why attach a common name to this? Because it is an easy way to denigrate middle-aged women who simply don’t matter anymore. Why can’t you see this?

Dp. They can’t see it because they are too ingrained in a system that diminishes women, while denying it’s happening. Kinda like systemic racism.. systemic misogyny is alive and well, but apparently more tolerated by DCUM.

Please if you don’t matter and are displaced why are you comfortable acting like you have special privileges vs everyone else? People are not calling a random white woman “Karen”. They are calling out the(usually) white, upper class woman who is going out of her way to enforce her privilege and entitlement.

This boogeyman is not real. It merely feels right to you to say this because... you are reacting badly to the sight and sound of a middle-aged woman bringing herself to your attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. It's only used with regard to white women. If its not racist, please let me know what I can call a similarly situated black, hispanic, asian, etc. woman.

It's not racist, and you can call them Karen if they're being a Karen. You can even call a dude Karen. Everyone will understand what you mean. Can we get back to real problems now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our fractured society is trying to heal itself by uniting in hatred against a group nobody likes: middle-aged white women who dare to express needs in public. Troubled times always result in demonization of some group. This is not the first time it has been middle-aged women.

The phenomenon of "truthiness" is also happening here, because whether or not white middle-aged women as a group are actually guilty if the crimes attributed to us, the accusation just *feels right* to other groups who are in fact reacting to how we're easy to blame, not pretty anymore, or asking them to do something inconvenient.

I mean seriously! Why can't minorities see that we're the ultimate societal victims and you're hurting our feelings by pointing out how we wield and abuse our power in the most irritating of ways? Won't someone please think of the rich middle aged white women and our terrible terrible plight of getting called a name for being an elitist busybody!

Yes let's only ever talk about minorities. They're the only subject worthy of discussion, ever.