Over the past few months, you may have heard the word ‘Karen’ being used in increasing fashion – a term that seems to refer to a seemingly self-entitled individual.
But the question begets;
What does the term mean exactly, and how did it even come about in the first place?
Without further ado, let’s find out.
Everything About Karen, a ‘New’ Term to Describe Self-Entitled People
According to Dictionary, Karen can be loosely described as a slang term for an “obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman” who utilises her privilege to get what she wants or control other people’s behaviours.
She is also generally associated with having a blonde bob haircut and being a Generation X soccer mum who makes frequent complaints or demands.
In 2020, in particular, the term ‘Karen’ was used to refer to white women who engaged in controversial ‘racist’ acts in viral videos.
But Why The Name Karen?
Lest you’re wondering, there are a number of assumptions behind why the name ‘Karen’ is being used specifically in this case.
For instance, it has been accredited to Black Twitter in the 2010s, though another suggestion has also pegged it as originating from a 2005 bit by Dane Cook, called “The Friend Nobody Likes”.
The 2004 film Mean Girls has also come into the equation, with its character Karen having been the subject of the popular quote:
“Oh my God, Karen, you can’t just ask someone why they’re white.”
Whatever the origin of the slang is, however, one thing’s for sure: it seems to be perceived as a generic name for a middle-aged white woman of a certain generation. Though this is certainly validated according to a statement by Social Security data, as Karen was allegedly the fourth most popular name for newborn girls in the 1960s, peaking at #3 in 1965.
Used As A Form Of Insult
Lest you’ve yet to latch on already, the name ‘Karen‘ is not used in a complimentary sort of manner.
Record of the insult is believed to have stemmed as early as September 2016, when a Tumblr user, joematar, mocked a promo for Nintendo Switch in which a woman (who seems to have been in her late 20s) brings the gaming console to the party.
“Oh shit, Karen brought her stupid Nintendo thing to the party again,” the user wrote. “We’re DRINKING, Karen. We’re having CONVERSATIONS.”
The trope would later be further developed by several online threads, including a subreddit devoted to making fun of the imaginary Karen.
Starting in 2017, Karens have been closely associated with baby boomers. Some millennials and members of Generation Z have also criticised boomers for being close-minded and behind-the-times, especially where unprogressive views on such things as gender and sexuality are concerned.
In 2020, the name gained further ‘popularity’ when it was used as an indicator of women exhibiting selfish or racist behaviour. The mayor of Las Vegas is one such example, having being called a Karen after she insisted on reopening casinos without social distancing, despite warnings.
A male equivalent of Karen has also been widely perused on the net, though a final consensus has yet to be reached.