Is Karen considered a racial slur?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it is a racial slur. The Merriam Webster dictionary states that a slur is ‘an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo’. This particular slur is both misogynistic and racist.

[Anonymous]

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.

Agree. You cannot use racial or religious slurs, but you can put down white women, call them b...itches ANF get away with it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is a racial slur. The Merriam Webster dictionary states that a slur is ‘an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo’. This particular slur is both misogynistic and racist.

It's not racist or misogynistic. It's not related to skin color or even gender.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use it for all races and have not gotten the impression that it’s only reserved for white women. It’s about attitude and not racial IMO.

+1

It's the behavior. My dad is the biggest Karen in my family. We've told him he's not allowed to talk to the servers anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is a racial slur. The Merriam Webster dictionary states that a slur is ‘an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo’. This particular slur is both misogynistic and racist.

It's not racist or misogynistic. It's not related to skin color or even gender.

Are you dense? How many black men do you know named “Karen”? Karen is a white woman’s name, popular 40-50 years ago. The premise is using a term that describes a white woman to negatively describe the actions of another.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s a a sexist and ageist term. A person behaving in a racist way should be called “racist”.

If a woman is being loud, rude, and annoying call her that. If she is doing something racist call her racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use it for all races and have not gotten the impression that it’s only reserved for white women. It’s about attitude and not racial IMO.

+1

It's the behavior. My dad is the biggest Karen in my family. We've told him he's not allowed to talk to the servers anymore.

I thought it was just used for racist people with terrible behavior that needs to be called out? What are you saying about your dad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use it for all races and have not gotten the impression that it’s only reserved for white women. It’s about attitude and not racial IMO.

+1

It's the behavior. My dad is the biggest Karen in my family. We've told him he's not allowed to talk to the servers anymore.

I thought it was just used for racist people with terrible behavior that needs to be called out? What are you saying about your dad?

Nope. The way it's used with my friends and family is someone who complains inappropriately. He's terrible at restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use it for all races and have not gotten the impression that it’s only reserved for white women. It’s about attitude and not racial IMO.

+1

It's the behavior. My dad is the biggest Karen in my family. We've told him he's not allowed to talk to the servers anymore.

I thought it was just used for racist people with terrible behavior that needs to be called out? What are you saying about your dad?

No I wouldn’t even call someone a Karen if they’re being racist, I’d just call them a racist. A Karen is rude to servers, repeatedly sends back food, tips poorly. Or uses her position on the HOA to power trip and nitpick everything about people’s houses/yards. You get the idea…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is a racial slur. The Merriam Webster dictionary states that a slur is ‘an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo’. This particular slur is both misogynistic and racist.

It's not racist or misogynistic. It's not related to skin color or even gender.

Are you dense? How many black men do you know named “Karen”? Karen is a white woman’s name, popular 40-50 years ago. The premise is using a term that describes a white woman to negatively describe the actions of another.

You do know that it has nothing to do with the actual name, Karen, right? And has nothing to do with race. Or even gender. It's a behavior.

[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?

Because some people feel entitled to continue their bad behavior.

So in your mind it is always used appropriately and correctly? Really?

Not 100% but every time I've heard it used it was appropriate.

So you missed the nurse biker trying to rent a bike being called a Karen? You're full of it.

Yes. I don't sit around looking for reasons to play the victim, knowing full well I'm not.

Does FoxNews have a special segment every evening that shows women getting called “Karen” (edited to not show their bad behavior) just to get their older, white women viewers all worked up?

No, there is no equivalent to the racist "Reid Out" show you watch on MSNBC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use it for all races and have not gotten the impression that it’s only reserved for white women. It’s about attitude and not racial IMO.

+1

It's the behavior. My dad is the biggest Karen in my family. We've told him he's not allowed to talk to the servers anymore.

I thought it was just used for racist people with terrible behavior that needs to be called out? What are you saying about your dad?

Nope. The way it's used with my friends and family is someone who complains inappropriately. He's terrible at restaurants.

It’s widely used to mean this. But the name “Karen” wasn’t chosen at random…the term implies you don’t want to be like some middle aged woman (inherently annoying and a pita)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. It is directed at one race in particular.

+1. This is an awful slur that is for some reason tolerated. I appreciate that teacher shutting it down.

+2

It is a racist and misogynistic slur.

[Anonymous]

I don't find it racist because as a PP stated, racism implies a power differential and white women benefit from white supremacy so you can't really be racist against them in a meaningful way.

BUT it is definitely sexist. Ask yourself why we need a special word for a woman being racist? Why can't we just call her "racist" or "entitled" or whatever it is you want to say about her behavior?

Another question. We don't have a special word for a man being racist, right? I've never heard one. That's interesting because while white women can definitely be racist and perpetuate white supremacy, I would not say that, historically, white women are the source and primary beneficiaries of white supremacy. Have they benefitted? Yes. But white supremacy is inherently misogynist and it's weird to have a special word to blame white women for it when obviously white men have perpetrated far more violence against people of color, and have benefited more (especially monetarily but in pretty much every way) than white women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it is a racial slur. The Merriam Webster dictionary states that a slur is ‘an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo’. This particular slur is both misogynistic and racist.

It's not racist or misogynistic. It's not related to skin color or even gender.

Are you dense? How many black men do you know named “Karen”? Karen is a white woman’s name, popular 40-50 years ago. The premise is using a term that describes a white woman to negatively describe the actions of another.

You do know that it has nothing to do with the actual name, Karen, right? And has nothing to do with race. Or even gender. It's a behavior.

So is it people acting badly towards minorities or just annoying people? People are using this slur very differently and that's the issue.