Now that the majority of the world is in lockdown, much of what was happening outside has moved into the cyberspace that we call the internet. And, as we all know by now, everything that happens on the internet is out there for good.
UK journalist, author, and feminist campaigner against sexual violence Julie Bindel has sparked a heated debate on whether anyone else thinks the term (or as she put—slur) “Karen” is considered woman-hating and is based on class prejudice. And the internet was torn on this issue.
There are a lot of questions being asked online, but rarely do they cause heated debates such as this
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Journalist Julie Bindel asked if "Karen" is a derogative slur and voiced her opinion about it
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Julie also ventured to say in her next few tweets that the term “Karen” is definitely used by enough white men for it to have morphed into a misogynistic slur, furthering her point that it is classism and ageism. She also reminded her followers that there were other names used as “slurs” in the vein of “Karen,” including Sharon, Tracy, and Becky.
On one end, there were people who were in support of Julie’s remark. For example, Hadley Freeman, author of the book House of Glass, said that the term is sexist, classist, and ageist, specifically in that order.
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She drew analogies to other female names in history to support her idea
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People who uphold this idea claim that the word “Karen” is a slur because it is used in a derogatory fashion to pin a stereotype of a white upper-class woman in her 30s–40s to a person. So, in that sense, yes, it is sexist, classist, and ageist.
Julie followed up with another short tweet nearly an hour later saying that she has a friend named Karen and she loves her dearly, which was interpreted by some as “I have friends named Karen, so I can use that slur and not get in trouble.”
Not only did she say that "Karen" was sexist and classist, but it was also racist
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Some supported her idea, like Hadley Freeman, author of the book House of Glass
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Besides meaning self-entitled, obnoxious, and middle-aged woman, Karens also have the following haircuts
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However, a vast majority of Internauts were of a completely different opinion
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However, the vast majority of responses to Julie’s tweet were of a different opinion, not only shedding light on how “Karen” Julie’s comment actually sounded, but also on the fact that the term doesn’t even come close to actual slurs and proceeding to explain what a “Karen” actually refers to.
While some were against this idea in their regular jokey fashion, others took it seriously and challenged Julie’s statement by explaining what actual racism and slurs are. Others ventured to explain the origins of “Karen” and how it is not really a slur as much as a word used to describe an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman, who may or may not be racist. Also, it's a meme.
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Many went to explain how “Karen” Julie’s comment actually sounded
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Others explained that the term doesn’t even come close to actual slurs and said what a “Karen” actually refers to
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Here's how the rest of the internet reacted to this tweet
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So, what are your thoughts on the term “Karen”? Is it a slur, is it actually racist, sexist, or classist, or are people in the wrong here? Let us know in the comments below!