Are you a Karen?

[Sunflower91]

I’ve know a couple of ladies called Karen over the years but they weren’t a “Karen”
But I’ve seen many “Karen’s” during my years in retail during college/uni days. The abuse you get is awful- between the years of 16 and 23 I’ve had your typical “I want to speak to the manager”, people completely dismiss me as a manager because I’m “too young”, people scream at me, threaten violence against me, demand the number for HR etc etc.
My experience is biased because I worked companies predominantly aiming at women, and even when working at Levis and Bench I didn’t really have many men picking a fight. Whilst I don’t think it’s right to essentially highjack an actual name, I can see where it comes from- when you’re essentially in an invisible, powerless position and left vulnerable by the big bosses that don’t support you when faced with this kind of thing on a daily basis - giving a name to what your facing and trying to make it humorous is a coping technique.

 

[Libbylulu]

Exactly, it’s the same with calling little girls bossy, there’s no equivalent for little boys.

This is very true. As a child I was always called bossy but my brother was called organized or assertive. The Girl Scouts organization brought about ‘Ban Bossy’ when describing little girls as it can be damaging to their development. My girls learned lots from this progmme.
The Karen trend is nothing but cruel to women who are actually called Karen and to anyone who wishes to be genuinely heard. It’s a flippant, bullying remark to put a woman down.

 

[Justhereforbants]

Another way to keep women meek and mild in my opinion. Funny how there isn't a male equivalent and I see plenty of those.

I think this is a reach tbh, bossy is an awful word. but theres a difference between being confident/addressing an issue and being rude and a 'karen' i think people are being very sensitive for no reason

 

[megsmagoo]

Not a Karen but I feel for anyone that’s called Karen! The trend is totally overused now and boring

 

[it’s not been changed?!]

My mum is a Karen. She’s 58 and has no idea what a Karen is

 

[SqualorVictoria]

This is very true. As a child I was always called bossy but my brother was called organized or assertive. The Girl Scouts organization brought about ‘Ban Bossy’ when describing little girls as it can be damaging to their development. My girls learned lots from this progmme.
The Karen trend is nothing but cruel to women who are actually called Karen and to anyone who wishes to be genuinely heard. It’s a flippant, bullying remark to put a woman down.

Yes! I really hate that being a woman with an opinion is seen as something to be mocked.

And yeah I'm not saying that there aren't women who are horrible to customer service staff, for example (where the "Karen" trend came from) but guess what, men can be horrible too!

I've seen a few people use Karen as a negative (often when describing a woman with an opinion) and it really does make me think less of them.

 

[1001 others]

A lady I work remotely has just had her hair cut like Gwyneth Paltrow in "Sliding Doors" (which looked amazing on Gwyneth and does on this lady too) ... but she's spent the past week being mocked mercilessly by people for having a "Karen haircut". I think that's mean.

Generally speaking, I think the term is ridiculous. It's shaming those who have the guts to speak up about things that aren't right. Actually, the whole generation-shaming is stupid as well. To say all generation * are this, that the other is ridiculous.

 

[Bubblesandflowers]

I was called a Karen alongside other names because a group of girls were urinating on my doorstep and in the street. I asked them politely to move on but they refused as they thought they could urinate anywhere. They got quite aggressive and threw an empty bottle of alcohol at my house. Eventually police were called and they told them they called me Karen because I’m a white b**** moaning I didn’t think it was the correct use of the term as I wasn’t being rude to them. Disgusting

 

[Ladyinred]

I’ve totally thought that this would happen. I struggle with my mental health and have thought this would seriously effect it and my self esteem if it was my name being used. I’m really sorry for your friend. I wouldn’t say I’m hugely politically correct and I’m not easily offended when it comes to jokes etc but I really do think this whole Karen thing is terrible. And I’ve been baffled by it that we live in a time that you can’t offend anyone but for some reason this is ok? Really surprises me. I am sorry for your friend x

Even if something is unjustified sheS so scared to speak up, it’s really hurting her, even more so with everything that is happening.

she is such a sweet person that would drop everything for her friends and family, is always polite to people. I wish this meme would just go away

 

[SoManyLiars]

I think this is a reach tbh, bossy is an awful word. but theres a difference between being confident/addressing an issue and being rude and a 'karen' i think people are being very sensitive for no reason

Of course, women are "sensitive" now - go back to your bridge you troll.

 

[coconochanel]

Whats a karen?

 

[HowlOwl]

I’m not a Karen, but I don’t like it either, or the use of other names in a derogatory way. (I don’t like the term “gammon” either but that’s probably a whole other post, or how baby-boomers seems to be a derogatory term and applied (inaccurately) to anyone over 50.)

 

[HelloStereo]

If you’re turning this into a gender issue (Which I presume you are) I’d like you to look into a lot deeper feminist issues such as FGM and child marriage instead of people using a name for a meme. Crying over a meme is the epitome of white feminism and doesn’t scream intersectional in my opinion

I feel like women are able to focus on more than one issue at a time.

 

[JoeBloggs]

My mum is a Karen and she is nothing like a ‘Karen’ I don’t think she has any idea about the way it’s used though and I’m not telling her.

 

[Elle]

I once knew a Karen. She was a dickhead.

 

[SqualorVictoria]

Anyone who uses the term Karen just shows their complete lack of imagination.

 

[They See Me Trolling...]

I think there’s a big distinction between thinking a name sounds chavvy (because it is generally popular amongst chavvy people) than using one name to tear into pretty much all middle-aged women.

Also, it was funny 10 years ago.

So your name is Karen then? Lol

 

[Rocknrolla]

It’s the Karen haircut on the memes what offends me the most

 

[Never in the World]

I’m Karen too I’ve been aware of the “Karen” thing about 6 months I’m an introvert so I hate the idea of having something about myself that draws attention but 6 months on no one has asked me about it, so I’m able to keep it in context

 

[Mookiegoose]

I have a friend called Karen, and her mental health has taken a hit because of it, she dreads letting people know her name is Karen. She is finding it very hard with her depression as people just say oh it’s just Karen being a Karen

I suppose she could try and go the other way and be a proper Karen. Might be liberating to be a total fucker.

I know a lot of Karens. It was obviously a very popular name when I was born in 1971. There were four people in my infant classes with the same name as me (Julie) and lots of Joannes and Judiths. For boys it was Pauls and Darrens. By the time I got to senior school, there were five Karens in my actual tutor group.

This is maybe why the name has become a thing. Just because the age of a standard Karen would be around late 40s and sometimes by the time you get to that age, you have just had enough of shit in general and start complaining.

It's similar to the Grumpy Old Men/Women show that used to be on BBC2. We get to a certain age and never stop twining!