# Has the term 'Karen' become racist and sexist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 20, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253 "2020-02-20T19:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/21 "2020-02-20T20:51:25Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > No, I don’t think it has. But I must say I find it very odd lately, this trend of having stereotypes of people personified with names. Karen, Chad, Stacy, and Becky are four that seem to have emerged just over the past few years. I can’t really think of any precedent for it (in American culture) other than maybe the name “Bubba” for a generic “hillbilly.” I find this name-character-stereotype thing rather annoying, to be honest. There is plenty of precedent for it in talking about racial minorities - Satchmo, Jose, etc. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/22 "2020-02-20T20:53:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Never heard the name used this way; gotta cite? > [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Been alive a long time and never heard of this. East Coast thing? Or something the kids are doing nowadays? It’s a really, really common thing. I run into “Karen” everywhere; Reddit, Facebook, private conversations, etc. Amiright, everyone but Bo & Typo? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/23 "2020-02-20T20:58:49Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > I can’t really think of any precedent for it (in American culture) other than maybe the name “Bubba” for a generic “hillbilly.” I find this name-character-stereotype thing rather annoying, to be honest. Heck, one of the oldest concepts _in_ American culture (indeed predating American culture) is the somewhat-derisive term “Yankee”, which (some linguists argue) is derived from the Dutch name _Jan_ (“John”), possibly _Jan Kaas_ (“John Cheese”), a nickname some Dutch settlers had for _other_ Dutch settlers, before the whole region became English (by conquest) and eventually American (by revolution). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/24 "2020-02-20T21:02:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It’s a really, really common thing. I run into “Karen” everywhere; Reddit, Facebook, private conversations, etc. > > Amiright, everyone but Bo & Typo? I’m with them. Never heard of it. To me, “Karen” is a common girls’ name. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/25 "2020-02-20T21:05:26Z")
Try being a _Becky._ ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/26 "2020-02-20T21:09:57Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Been alive a long time and never heard of this. East Coast thing? Or something the kids are doing nowadays? Same demographic that thinks, “ok, boomer,” is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/27 "2020-02-20T21:10:59Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > There is plenty of precedent for it in talking about racial minorities - Satchmo, Jose, etc. Satchmo? Other than Louis Armstrong, I’ve never, ever heard this term used to describe a single soul. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/28 "2020-02-20T21:22:21Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Try being a _Becky._ At least you’ve got the good hair. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/29 "2020-02-20T21:25:59Z")
I also run into it everywhere, social media and real life. It’s every third meme on some humor sites. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/30 "2020-02-20T21:29:40Z")
Is there anyone who has never been made fun for their name? Either it rhymes with something funny, or is associated with TV or movie character, or some other negative cultural icon? Kids do that kind of hazing all the time, and sometimes it persists into adulthood. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/31 "2020-02-20T21:44:46Z")
“Dolores!” ---
**Author:** ![pakputeh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c67d28/32.png) [@pakputeh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pakputeh)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/32 "2020-02-20T21:58:21Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Thanks.Yes. Thank you, I really appreciate your extensive contribution to the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/33 "2020-02-20T22:30:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It’s a really, really common thing. I run into “Karen” everywhere; Reddit, Facebook, private conversations, etc. > > Amiright, everyone but Bo & Typo? I’ve never heard “Karen” used to refer to anything/body other than somebody actually named Karen. I opened this thread to find out what the OP was talking about. Ignorance fought, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/34 "2020-02-20T22:46:33Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > I can’t really think of any precedent for it (in American culture) other than maybe the name “Bubba” for a generic “hillbilly.” If you are of a certain age, long ago you would have heard the name “Bruce” when spoken with a lisp, indicating an effeminite gay man. So, the idea of a name used as a stereotype is not new. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/35 "2020-02-20T22:51:46Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > If you are of a certain age, long ago you would have heard the name “Bruce” when spoken with a lisp, indicating an effeminite gay man. So, the idea of a name used as a stereotype is not new. And the article I linked to upthread pointed out: > [@](#): > > There’s plenty of historical precedent for using a proper name to stand in for a whole archetype or stereotype of a character. This linguistic use is usually referred to as an eponym; calling someone a “Scrooge” is perhaps the most recognizable example, in reference to a wealth-hoarding, greedy personality. > … > Names like “Paddy” and “Mick” functioned as anti-Irish slurs in the 19th century, while “Guido” was a common slur for Italians. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/36 "2020-02-20T22:56:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It’s a really, really common thing. I run into “Karen” everywhere; Reddit, Facebook, private conversations, etc. > > Amiright, everyone but Bo & Typo? Other than this thread, I’ve never heard of this thing. On the other hand, I don’t have Reddit or Facebook apps, and rarely have private conversations. If it’s not a thing on the SDMB, I’ll probably miss it. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/37 "2020-02-20T23:10:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Is there anyone who has never been made fun for their name? Either it rhymes with something funny, or is associated with TV or movie character, or some other negative cultural icon? Kids do that kind of hazing all the time, and sometimes it persists into adulthood. That’s not what this is, it’s not about making fun of someone whose _real_ name is Karen. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > And the article I linked to upthread pointed out: > > > [@](#): > > > > …There’s plenty of historical precedent for using a proper name to stand in for a whole archetype or stereotype of a character. This linguistic use is usually referred to as an eponym.. Describing “Karen” as an eponym does not seem correct. That’s when something is named after a specific person. I’m pretty sure that there was no original Karen - nor Paddy nor Guido for that matter. Paddy is a common name that’s distinctively Irish; perhaps similarly Karen was a relatively popular name for women born 40-50 years ago. And there’s just a random viral element to why they caught on to denote a stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/38 "2020-02-20T23:14:57Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Satchmo? Other than Louis Armstrong, I’ve never, ever heard this term used to describe a single soul. I’ve heard a few more, but it certainly was Louis Armstrong’s nickname. I suspect he meant to say Sambo. Which acquired very strong racial overtones. But I read _Little Black Sambo_ as a child, and that child was quite clever. I’m not sure how it became a derogatory name. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/39 "2020-02-20T23:32:27Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Couldn’t this argument be used to show that every single meme ever created is racist/sexist because the original picture is of a person with a race and gender? Bad news Brian? Overly obsessed girlfriend? Success kid? Ermahgerd? Good guy Greg? Willie Wonka? Ermahgerd, Becky!! 2 beck’s in one thread(:)) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253/40 "2020-02-21T00:58:32Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > It’s a really, really common thing. I run into “Karen” everywhere; Reddit, Facebook, private conversations, etc. > > Amiright, everyone but Bo & Typo? Never heard of it. To the OP, yes, you’re being overly sensitive. Also, this thread seems more suited to IMHO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-term-karen-become-racist-and-sexist/848253.md?page=3)