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What Does It Mean to Be a “Karen”? Karen Explains.
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What Does It Mean to Be a “Karen”? Karen Explains.

As the meme has become more prominent online, its meaning has become confused – with real-life Karens caught in the crosshairs.

Elle Hunt
The Guardian, 2020
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Background
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

A meme communicates an idea quickly – sometimes a nuanced, complex idea – using an image or words or both. People use memes on social media as commentary. The original “Karen” meme depicts a middle-aged white woman who insists on speaking to a manager, but Karen has become shorthand for describing middle-aged white women who harass people of color. To confuse perception even more, sometimes people use Karen as an all-purpose slur. Journalist Elle Hunt, writing in The Guardian, talks to real-life Karens and unpacks the meme. As it turns out, not all Karens are “Karens.”

Take-Aways

  • A “Karen,” according to a well-known internet meme, is a white, middle-aged woman with a sense of entitlement.
  • The Karen meme intentionally undermines white privilege in a humorous way.
  • The Karen meme also applies to women who oppose pandemic public safety measures.

About the Author

Journalist Elle Hunt frequently writes for The Guardian.

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