Current Events > "Karen" is a term used to silence women

(+) Yeah! (+)

It absolutely got overused in a more general misogynistic way. Literally any time a woman has an opinion on anything, people would reply "Ok Karen."

But anyone who has worked a job with customer service, especially restraunts and retail, knows that "Karens" are a real thing.

At my last job in a grocery store w/ a floral department, on one of my very last days at work, a middle aged white lady came in to yell at all the employees and management about the state of our basil plants. She was talking about how she apparently runs a YouTube channel and was threatening to expose our bad business. When she finally got to talk to the store owner, she introduced herself saying "Hello, my name is Karen." We could barely contain our laughter.

Why is the name Karen even being used as a insult/word I just call them a bitch or the c word

Aztex posted...

Why is the name Karen even being used as a insult/word I just call them a bitch or the c word

No, see, those are sexist. But if you change the word slightly and use it in exactly the same context it's not sexist anymore (???)

Karen is a term used to silence Karens

bIuerain posted...

It absolutely got overused in a more general misogynistic way. Literally any time a woman has an opinion on anything, people would reply "Ok Karen."

But anyone who has worked a job with customer service, especially restraunts and retail, knows that "Karens" are a real thing.

At my last job in a grocery store w/ a floral department, on one of my very last days at work, a middle aged white lady came in to yell at all the employees and management about the state of our basil plants. She was talking about how she apparently runs a YouTube channel and was threatening to expose our bad business. When she finally got to talk to the store owner, she introduced herself saying "Hello, my name is Karen." We could barely contain our laughter.

I had an older woman order bottled water as the drink selection with her combo meal. When she realized it wasnt free, she wanted something different to drink but wouldnt tell me what that was until I took it off the screen. The system requires you to make a different selection to change the screen display to a new drink, though, and she kept refusing to say what she wanted until I first removed bottle water as the drink. She ended up storming off in a huff after wasting my time.

Wasn't there a BET TV movie called "Karen" about a murderous Karen?

I vaguely recall seeing it on the Hulu guide.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

No, see, those are sexist. But if you change the word slightly and use it in exactly the same context it's not sexist anymore (???)

How is it sexist? Karen for women, Kevin for men.

Men get called karens all the time, try again.

jayj350 posted...

Men get called karens all the time, try again.

Also that

Karen started as a term to describe entitled women, but it has definitely trickled down to include men.

I've been seeing a lot of males being called Karen as of late.

I feel like "Karen" as a term has transcended itself, at this point. By now it refers to an attitude/mentality far more than it refers to women or physical traits.

It's like "boomer:" more the attitude than the specific age demographic. Hell, from the very beginning, I'm pretty sure "Ok boomer" has been said to more Gen Xers than real boomers, any day of the week.

It's hard for people to concede bad things happen to others without making it about themselves.

what if silence was the room outside and Karens were the friends we met along the way

jayj350 posted...

Men get called karens all the time, try again.

Men also get called bitches. Is "bitch" no longer a term with sexist implications?

I would never silence a woman. But Karen can shut the fuck up.

No one (man or woman) should be silenced.

But rude, entitled people should definitely be called out.

Tobi011 posted...

I want context on what is being poured into that drink TC.

Looks like grenadine and blue curacao.

DarkBuster22904 posted...

It's like "boomer:" more the attitude than the specific age demographic. Hell, from the very beginning, I'm pretty sure "Ok boomer" has been said to more Gen Xers than real boomers, any day of the week.

This. At no point were boomers ever criticized for "their age."
That doesn't stop them from crying "ageism!" though -- as if most ageism isn't from them directed toward younger people.

Obviously we need to look at each individual case. Not every case of a "racist Karen acting as a victim" is one. Sometimes they might be doing their job and might be in the right.

Even though I use it sometimes I still feel wrong using a proper name as an insult. I have the same problem with Chad.

No... the same people who say that have also told me that "cis" is a slur...

Yeah okay.

Tobi011 posted...

I want context on what is being poured into that drink TC.

Thats called a Shark Attack.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

No, see, those are sexist. But if you change the word slightly and use it in exactly the same context it's not sexist anymore (???)

I don't discriminate I refer to men as a bitch or c word too

Also I didn't know people still said it, I've not used it since like 2019?? I guess its just a mainstream word now :p (that sounds pretentious)

What is that drink in the op? I want it

Edit: I just saw post 122. I making that

equating calling out karens to misogyny seems like an attempt by right wing karens to shut down criticism. not gonna happen.

KStateKing17 posted...

What is that drink in the op? I want it

Edit: I just saw post 122. I making that

They get you fucking drunk!

divot1338 posted...

They get you fucking drunk!

It's the weekend baby! My body is READY

Dark_Arbron posted...

This. At no point were boomers ever criticized for "their age."
That doesn't stop them from crying "ageism!" though -- as if most ageism isn't from them directed toward younger people.

Very true.

You even end up with 20 or 30 somethings who insist they can't be boomers.

This can also be expanded towards the term incel.

slurs people use without realizing they are a slur:
-Karen
-Incel
-Boomer

Beveren_Rabbit posted...

slurs people use without realizing they are a slur:
-Karen
-Incel
-Boomer

Lolol

Calling Karen a gendered slur is transphobic.

andel posted...

equating calling out karens to misogyny seems like an attempt by right wing karens to shut down criticism. not gonna happen.

This.

Seems Karen should only be offensive to people named Karen.

The kind of person "Karen" describes are absolutely real. Calling them out is totally appropriate and frankly overdue. So in that sense the term Karen absolutely has a place in society.

But at the same time people can and do use the term Karen to silence or discredit a woman who is "making a scene" even if the circumstances behind the scene have nothing to do with standard Karen behavior.

There is no issue calling a Karen a Karen, but we should use our discretion in using the term to make sure they are actually being a Karen and not just standing up for themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJqaxLg5syE

I support silencing any and all Karens. But not all women are Karens, obviously. If a karen thinks being called a karen is a slur, I dont really care what the karen thinks

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


The worst part of inceldom is not only do they call themselves that often, but the incel community brought that judgement down on themselves by being so unapologetically toxic, online and off, black pills and manifestos and more.