The Brief: The 'Karen' stereotype illustrates an entitled, middle-class white woman whose signature line is "I'd like to speak to the manager."
DEEP DIVE
According to the stereotype, a ‘Karen’ is a suburban middle-class white soccer mom who has a penchant for complaining to and about people in the service industry. She is likely an anti-vaxxer with at least one piece of “Live Laugh Love” decor and may have called the cops on her neighbors at least once. True Karens have haircuts to match their personalities – an elaborate ‘do rocked by Kate Gosselin and often referred to as the “speak to the manager” haircut.
This insult is usually used as a joke but is also rooted in deeper criticisms of the behaviors of white women who use their privilege and power to do harm to members of marginalized groups.
Memes on this topic range from jokes about haircuts to references to the Karen took the kids meme to the concept of Gen X being “the Karen Generation” to discourse on whether or not the term is a slur.
A classic from FuckYouKaren
You’ve heard of Ultra Instinct Shaggy. Now get ready for…
Ultra Karen from FuckYouKaren
Karen and the crew from memes
white moms be like i’m bilingual i speak english and to the manager
— quarentinelina ♥ (@pheromones) September 8, 2019
As a Karen can I officially set the record straight
Karen is not a slur
And if you don't agree I need to speak to your manager— Karen Pollock MBACP (@CounsellingKaz) April 6, 2020
When Karen is quarantined in her house and can’t ask to speak to the manager pic.twitter.com/VXcL39bYUW
— dan 🍿 (@manieldad) April 5, 2020