Are you a Karen?

[Lollypad]

What does Gammon mean? Never heard anyone called that before.

Gammon is normally a right wing/conservative white man whos anti liberal etc

Urban Dictionary: Gammon

British slang, stereotype of a right-wing person who is seemingly always sunburned. The kind of person who thinks that "flour" is a spice, that there's too many Spaniards in Spain, and that they "Don't want any of that foreign muck" when abroad instead only eating Chips and Sausages

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[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.

 

[Bonnie Bisou]

Karen is like a middle aged white lady that's rude to customer service people /tells everyone what to do/is a pushy mum. Karen's like to ask to speak to the manager etc

Not to forget the hairstyle they all favour must be the power hairdo

 

[Holly Golightly]

I'm not but I will look like one when I finally get my hair cut later today!

 

[Hello Kitty]

I know 2 people called Karen but they aren't Karen's. It just makes me laugh and makes me think of them more whenever I hear that name.

I've even seen a face covering with 'Karen' on it now

 

[Eltonjohnsflorist]

Oh I call my dad a gammon. It is a bit mean but he is, and I don’t really care for the tears of middle aged white men

Karen I think is a useless insult, and very American (and yes it is sexist) like literally, someone who summons the manager? A whole world of bad behaviour and disgraceful going ons and summoning the manager is even a thing?

 

[Holly Golightly]

Unpopular opinion but I hate the gammon thing. It's just childish and causes yet more division, and I mourn the day it was ever coined.

Although admittedly I'm a highly sensitive person who could just be taking it too seriously.

 

[Bitofthebubbly]

Not a Karen, but I’m not at fan of how the term seems to have taken on a life of its own and is now used against any woman with a differing opinion “oh don’t listen to her she’s just another Karen” that sort of thing. So sad to hear of women called Karen who have had their confidence knocked as a result of this joke. As someone with anxiety and depression I think I would have similar feelings if my name went ‘viral’ in such a negative way. It wouldn’t bother me at first I’d imagine but it would wear thin after a while.

The fact there’s no male equivalent to a ‘Karen’ speaks volumes. We’ve had ‘Susan’s’ and ‘Tracy’s’ over the years but what Male names have been used in a way to put down men? Only ‘Chad‘ as far as I know and that’s not really mainstream.

 

[megsmagoo]

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

 

[VomitCulture]

Not a Karen, but I’m not at fan of how the term seems to have taken on a life of its own and is now used against any woman with a differing opinion “oh don’t listen to her she’s just another Karen” that sort of thing. So sad to hear of women called Karen who have had their confidence knocked as a result of this joke. As someone with anxiety and depression I think I would have similar feelings if my name went ‘viral’ in such a negative way. It wouldn’t bother me at first I’d imagine but it would wear thin after a while.

The fact there’s no male equivalent to a ‘Karen’ speaks volumes. We’ve had ‘Susan’s’ and ‘Tracy’s’ over the years but what Male names have been used in a way to put down men? Only ‘Chad‘ as far as I know and that’s not really mainstream.

Chad is pretty mainstream amongst young people as is Kyle. Apparently there is also gammon as someone mentioned above although I haven’t heard that one before.

 

[hrh89]

Oh dear. This is getting bloody ridiculous now.

 

[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.

 

[They See Me Trolling...]

Love how everyone is crying “poor Karen, she’s suffering due to her name now!” but you’d all happily slate someone called Chantelle or Mercedes and stereotype them!

 

[Eltonjohnsflorist]

Love how everyone is crying “poor Karen, she’s suffering due to her name now!” but you’d all happily slate someone called Chantelle or Mercedes and stereotype them!

Thats true. La Toyah/ Omotayo have been missing out on opportunities all their lives thanks to the name on their CV, but god forbid Karen gets upset

 

[Chicken&Bacon]

Interesting to read this thread and see the same people who slate names and brand them chavvy in the names i cant stand thread moan about stereotyping a name

 

[LittleMy]

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.

 

[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

 

[LittleMy]

So your name is Karen then? Lol

No, it’s not actually. Lol.

 

[Callmemaybe]

I'm just happy I'm not called Karen because my kids would just take the piss

 

[monga]