Welcome back, dear listeners? Here’s an age-old question: what’s in a name? Specifically, a name that’s become a widespread meme, symbolizing botched bobs, speaking to management, and an entitled attitude.
On this episode, Ren explores the evolution of the ‘Karen,’ the meme’s possible origins, its current iterations, and the various characteristics that make a Karen a Karen. Middle-aged? Usually. Female? Typically. White? Almost always. What’s in a name? Well, my dears, let’s find out.
Note: at the time of this recording, no arrests had been made for the murder of George Floyd.
Self Care Plan
You know what’s great self care? Dismantling white supremacy and advocating for racial justice!
- Google whether your local police department. Find out whether they currently outfits all on-duty police officers with a body-worn camera and requires that the body-worn camera be turned on immediately when officers respond to a police call. If they don’t, write to your city or town government representative and police chief to advocate for it. The racial make-up of your town doesn’t matter — This needs to be standard everywhere. Multiply your voice by soliciting others to advocate as well, writing on social media about it, writing op-eds, etc.
- Donate to anti-white supremacy work. There are many great organizations such as your local Black Lives Matter Chapter, the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, the NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, United Negro College Fund, Black Youth Project 100, Color of Change, The Sentencing Project, Families against Mandatory Minimums, A New Way of Life, and Dream Defenders. Join some of these list-serves and take action as their emails dictate.
- Support the vote. Donate to groups that are working to put women of color into elected office, to get out the vote, and to restore voting rights to disenfranchised voters, such as Collective PAC, Higher Heights, and Woke Vote. You can also support black women and women of color who are running for office in your community.
- Additional Resources:
Citations
- https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/karen
- https://www.vox.com/2020/2/5/21079162/karen-name-insult-meme-manager
- https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/karen/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/07/style/its-karentown.html
- https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/05/coronavirus-karen-memes-reddit-twitter-carolyn-goodman/611104/
- https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/very-online/the-karen-meme-isnt-a-slur-its-a-social-critique
- https://nypost.com/2020/05/14/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-karen-viral-name-memes-explained/
- https://www.buzzfeed.com/shelbyheinrich/kidz-bop-karen-explainer
- https://nypost.com/2020/05/13/brawl-breaks-out-at-red-lobster-on-mothers-day/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter
- https://www.insider.com/parking-lot-karen-tiktok-video-dispute-beach-savsoares-2020-5
- https://globalnews.ca/news/6841208/coronavirus-nurses-block-protest-denver/
- https://www.insider.com/karen-meme-origin-the-history-of-calling-women-karen-white-2020-5
- https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/white-cop-caller-nicknames/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/nyregion/amy-cooper-dog-central-park.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/apr/13/the-karen-meme-is-everywhere-and-it-has-become-mired-in-sexism
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccabellan/2020/04/06/yes-the-karen-twitter-poll-is-a-parody-so-chill-out-twitter/#5e6524ba2322
- https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/george-floyd-man-dies-after-being-arrested-by-minneapolis-police-fbi-called-to-investigate/
The Void Will See You Now 