Where did the “Karen” stereotype come from and what are real Karens saying about it?
We’ve heard the name, we know the memes. But where did the Karen trend begin? And is it problematic?
The Karen meme does not have a clear linear evolution and is likely the result of culminating trends snowballing over time.
The first trend to acknowledge is the “I’d like to speak to your manager” haircut meme, which appeared on Reddit in 2014.
Kate Gosselin, the mom and star of the TLC show Jon and Kate plus 8 became famous for the haircut and amid her 10-year custody battle with her husband over their 8 kids and is likely a large reason the haircut and attitude associated with it became so popular.
The haircut is a signature bob that’s longer in the front, and shorter in the back with spikes of hair sticking up near the crown of the head. See below.
Another pop culture trend emerged around 2018 when a man created a Reddit thread dedicated to making content documenting the unbelievable tales of his ex-wife. His thread became so popular that a high school student made a sub-thread dedicated to turning his anecdotes into memes (Vox). And the high schooler named the character “Karen” after a popular thread that had since been deleted.
And somewhere along the way, the haircut, the name Karen, and the behavior associated with both birthed the Karen stereotype as we know it today.
The Karen stereotype is a white, middle America, protestant, middle or upper-middle-class woman who believes in Jesus and pseudoscience with the same enthusiasm. Karen writes divisive Facebook posts, is an anti-vaxxer, and above all else, looks down on or despises immigrants and POC and demands her privilege be upheld in all circumstances. Bonus points if she has a Costco card or more than 3 kids which she’ll likely tell you about on your way “to check the back” for her size.
The Karen 2020
This Karen is more defined and socially recognized than any of the Karen memes or haircuts created in 2018. Why? I
t’s most likely because of the political and cultural climate we are in. The name Karen seems to be used the same way “boomers” is used to describe older, stubborn, and close-minded older people.
It’s Millennial and Gen Zer’s effort to categorize a group of people who are behaving a certain way. This need for categorization has increased as more and more women have been filmed or photographed exhibiting racist or privileged behavior. In this climate, these women became caricatures of the overall population of privileged white women.
Recent thematic behavior of Karens in 2020, all documented and made public by social media include calling the cops on Black people, asking immigrants to return to their place of origin, coughing on people and refusing to wear a mask. Because this behavior has become so common among privileged white women, it’s not hard to see how young people gave them the name Karen based on a caricature that was already ripe and ready to receive this population of privilege.
Is it problematic?
Is this stereotype name problematic or unfair for women named Karen who do not exhibit this behavior? For the most part, the Karens of America don’t seem particularly bothered by it. One Karen, interviewed by Vox said “It’s a little bit of a commentary on white privilege, perhaps.”
Karen Sun, in her interview with CNN, said
“There’s no real systemic oppression there, It won’t prevent you from getting married, or getting health care, you’re just acting entitled and rude and that’s why you’re getting called a ‘Karen.’”
It seems that calling women Karens almost points out how comical and irrational their behavior is. To be called a Karen is an insult and is young people’s way of calling out childish behavior in a satirical manner that embarrasses the woman in question.
On the other hand, creating a stereotype behind a specific name isn’t the greatest form of categorization. White people associating names like “José” with working-class immigrants and “Paulo” with wealthy Italians is also a form of stereotyping that often appears in social settings and perpetuates harmful categorizations.
So there is a balance. On the one hand, calling a woman Karen is a way of highlighting someone's immature and privileged behavior in a way that is embarrassing without being malicious. On the other hand, assuming all Karens behave immaturely is harmful.
Overall, the Karen categorization doesn’t appear to have a negative impact on the Karen population as a whole. This is not the first time proper names have been used to categorize people.
Becky, Chad, and Brad have also had their moments of fame as names linked to stereotypes. As long as we are careful not to assume the stereotypical behavior about an otherwise innocent Karen, Karen on.
Is your name next?
Other great articles with in-depth information on the origin of Karen:
